Skip to main content

#2230: Willa Cather to Roscoe Cather, [May 9, 1945]

More about this letter…
Plain view:

Guide to Reading Letter Transcriptions

Some of these features are only visible when "plain text" is off.

Textual Feature Appearance
passage deleted with a strikethrough mark deleted passage
passage deleted by overwritten added letters overwritten passage
passage added above the line passage with added text above
passage added on the line passage with added text inline
passage added in the margin passage with text added in margin
handwritten addition to a typewritten letter typed passage with added handwritten text
missing or unreadable text missing text noted with "[illegible]"
uncertain transcriptions word[?]
notes written by someone other than Willa Cather Note in another's hand
printed letterhead text printed text
text printed on postcards, envelopes, etc. printed text
text of date and place stamps stamped text
passage written by Cather on separate enclosure. written text
Dear Brother1

I don't often bother you with "fan" letters. Those from homesick soldiers and sailors keep me busy. This one is singularly appealing. I'll ask you to send it back to me and I'll put it in one of the two big suitcases which hold such glorious letters from aged priests and the sons and daughters of our pioneers—Phil Kearney's4 daughter5, Sir William Van Horn's6 daughter7, (he built the Canadian Pacific) and all sorts of queer mine owners and prospectors and surveyors and Jim Hill 8's children—all mixed up together. My real author's Rol Royalties are not in bonds or in the bank, but in those suitcases. I save only the letters from unusual people, whether it's an old cow puncher or Sir James Jeans9 the astronomer.

Sometimes a letter touches one's heart, like this one.

I'll write you a business letter 2 at some other time. This is to thank you for your help10 about our vacation. We telegraphed Santa Fe11. La Fonda12 impossible—can give reservations for three (3) days only. Have written both Estes Park13 addresses.

I'm so grateful for you news about the food situation14 in San Francisco15 and about those smart Russians16!

We are very short of food here. But I had the good luck to find a bottle of real Benedictine that you sent me years and years, still two-thirds full!! What a blessing! We sip it from lovely liqueur glasses after a slim dinner.

I will reply to your business letter soon,

Lovingly, Willie
Dillard Bedford Garden City 4 R.C. property[?] Mr. R. C. Cather1 First Savings Bank of Colusa, Colusa, California.3 NEW YORK2 MAY 9 1945 1 PM Personal