Your letter of late date concerning the wolf story has done me more good than all the other letters I have ever received. It was a whole-souled man who wrote that! I would rather have a man say that I "can write like the devil" than to have him rank me in academic phrases with the masters. It's the language of real men — men who have blood in them and eat beefsteaks. You can't know how much that sentence encourages me!
I would take in washing for you!
Sometime when I get a book good enough, I am going to ask your permission to dedicate it to you: for if I ever succeed, I will remember you as my best encourager. Your brickbats have made me respect you.
I will gladly undertake the changing of the wolf tale, and will drown the litter as soon as they get back from New York. I have a plan already made which will make the tale about as good as before. I did like those pups, though.
I want to thank you again for your letter.
Jno. G. Neihardt
