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#2594: Willa Cather to Alfred A. Knopf, April 22 [1929]

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FAIRMONT
HOTEL
San Francisco
Dear Alfred1;

If Mr. Von Schmitt3 does not get round on time, we will simply have to give up the idea of an illustrated edition4 for the present5. No use trying a rush job—if we do it at all, we ought to have plenty of time to get it just right. The proof-reading of a new setting would be a heavy labor—I’m not sure that I wouldn’t be glad to escape it! Life has been so full of heavy chores lately—I’m afraid they’ve crushed the life out of the new story6.

San Francisco2 is glorious, and this hotel7 is like the old “Antlers”8 at Colorado Springs9 where my real10 Lost Lady11 used to winter. It’s even full of sad, rich old people—perplexed survivors of her time and mode. I’ll be here for a week longer—then back to Mother12 at Long Beach13.

3 Please ask Mr. Lesser14 to write me how he came out with my income tax. I have a dis-interested curiosity to know how much it was. I hope, from what I see in the papers, that I won’t have to pay a State tax on my book royalties.

I’ll have to be in Ney New York15 early in June.16 The Yale degree17 comes off the 19th. Please let me know if you will be in town in June.

Faithfully always Willa Cather

Please send a copy of Pierre-Quint's18 "Marcel Proust”19 to me at Long Beach address.

Sent
4/26