After four weeks with my Oglala friends near Manderson, I finally got away from the reservation without seeing you, although I sincerely intended to have the pleasure of meeting you before I left. I hope you didn't feel this as a discourtesy. The fact is that the work I was doing with Black Elk took so much longer than I had expected that when at last it was finished I was obliged to hurry. However I expect to be back on the reservation again during the coming year and I hope I may meet you then. Although I did not meet you, I felt during my stay there that you were free and ready to help me in every reasonable way. This feeling itself was a genuine help and I am grateful to you. I enjoyed being up there so much I have half a mind to get a piece of land up there to play with during the summer. There is a section that I have been told could be bought. I was not able to get the numbers and I am wondering if by describing its location, they could be located by your office. I may describe it in this way. The east-southeast corner of it is cut by the road running from Brennan to Manderson and this corner is only a short distance south of Ben Black Elk's place. Across the southwestern quarter Wounded Knee Creek runs and about half a mile east of the road there is a high range of rim rocks through which a narrow pass leads up to the rolling prairie. There is a three room log house on the place and some small log buildings. If it does not involve too much trouble on the part of your office I should be glad to have the numbers of this place and also information as to when it can be bought, and if it can be bought, on what terms.
John G. Neihardt, Branson, Missouri, to B. G. Courtright, Pine Ridge, South Dakota. [June 1931]
My dear Courtright:
With thanks for your kind attitude toward me while on the reservation, I am very sincerely yours
