When I reached home last evening, there sat Mary reading proof on THE RIVER AND I! It was a real pleasure to see her again, and the family is glad. She is herself, and more than her former self, I feel. A dear girl, truly. We will have some swims, steak picnics in the country, and some open air theater (Shakespearean comedy).
Yes, if you were a millionaire, you'd be offering me a salary to work on the cycle. And I'd do it. As it is, I am not even the poor poet of tradition, starving for recognition. My stuff sells about as well as any of the better order. Also, my books keep coming out, and many believe that my stuff will endure. As for money, I who have never wanted to make much of it, must now spend all my time in making more of it than I need. Here I am with $7,000 this year (not counting the windfall from Los Angeles), and there will be $520 more next year. I can save nearly half of what I make. But something will die in me sooner than such things should die. As it is, I think only of seeing my seven and their two households out of the woods. I never wanted to live for the sake of living. It has always been a terrible thing in my way of thinking - at best, a silly process. But perhaps it is better to think that I have already done much and justified the years I've had. Also, there is a chance that I may be able to work the column in a way to make slow progress on the MESSIAH possible this next fall. I will edit STRAWS IN THE WIND during my July and August vacation. Judge V., who was here over Sunday, read several
I was given three days off last week to do a poem on Lindbergh. It was played up in big type with a big drawing on the Sunday editorial page. The office seems strongly impressed, and I guess it is a pretty fair thing there has been some favorable comment. But it doesn't matter at all.
Jno.
All of us were delighted with the news of the change from School to College, and the raise of sa in salary.
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