Across the Spectrum:The Interdisciplinary Life and Letters of John G. Neihardt (‘Flaming Rainbow’)

Of course I was wrong; and the better part of me knew it well all the while. This a real pattern that we are caught up in — a truly good pattern with meaning in it. Thanks, thanks, dear lady, dear friend!

I can see how you have been, and still are, over-loaded with work, especially since you received the Minneapolis Journal tapes — and it must be eye-punishing to read them. (I could no longer do it). I can't tell you how I appreciate what you are doing — the thoroughness with which you are doing it. The Minneapolis Journal period is very important. I'm glad you've found things that seem good, and I'm so sorry you can't have access to the whole file. After the spring of 1913, you know, I wrote from Bancroft, a column a week. That should be easy to find, altho' I believe I wrote without a by-line. Old H. V. Jones was a great admirer of J. G. N., but he wanted to keep all the honors for the big boss of the Journal. You know, I think, that I made Jones a proposition to let me work write in Bancroft for much less money, so that I could go ahead with my work.

When I was reading Babbitt I did not read Garrison. (I'm not sure I've read the name correctly.) Anyway, I'm sure I read nothing by anyone of that name (or is it Grierson?)

The point is that I know who how Babbitt influenced my thinking — and only Babbitt at that time time. His influence is all concerned with the wave wave of Impression that struck a us in America about 20 or 25 years after it triumphed in Europe — especially France. I just don't know where the systole-diastole conception came from. (It seems old, old). As for the Babbitt influence, it's what I did with the idea that mattered. Further, I seized on Babbitt because he explained and clarified my own thinking about what was happening to our culture in 1912 and after. (You will note more and more through the years of book reviewing that I was illustrating the effect of the anarchic principle in all fields of thought and theory. I went much farther than my teacher — in fact 20 or 25 years farther — not in theory, but in application of the theory.

I'm glad you will write Bruce Niccol Nicoll of the Neb. University Press. I wish he knew more about me and my work — or, at any rate, more than I feel he knows. (I may be mistaken, of course) If he could see the Pattern as it is and shall be, he'd feel no hesitancy in going through with my stuff.

There should be a volume of Indian (Sioux and Omaha) short stories, selected from "Indian Tales and Others" and "When the Tree Flowered". I'm much impressed by them since I've been using some of them in my TV series.

Dear, precious Lady, I do hope it will somehow be possible for me to see the first version of your biography. I don't know how long I'll be here, but it can't be many years. All the collecting you are doing is most important and your thoroughness is admirable. But along with the documents you need me, because I'm the only person living who knows the feel of the whole business and also so much of the factual story.

Can there be anything wrong in my telling you that you are very dear to me? I mean I do love you — and it is good.

Second Edition Before Publication.

Here is a pleasing coincidence! Knipmeyer came to report on his Odyssey last Friday, and when he arrived, I had just then received your letter! I asked permission to read it, and when I came to his your remarks about him, I read aloud, it made him him glow. He was happy in your home with Bower and you. Did he tell you that he is State Archivist, and knows more about the Civil War in Missouri than anyone else? Also, he's a Stanford graduate and a Johns Hopkins graduate. He did enjoy you'ns! Just think. He really heard me at Stanford 48 years ago! He said he was greatly impressed. I'm surprised, for in those days I was scared stiff! That time David Starr Jordan introduced me — bless his great soul!

Hug Perky for Gaki, please! You may also kiss her on the cheek for me. She is one of my dear girls. (Lassie, our collie, is another; and a third died in Red Cloud recently. ( Heart failure) Now do get this true Dog Story. Yesterday a woman was cleaning my basement kitchen when she saw Jacques grab a cellophane-wrapped package of cheese that had dropped on the floor. She thought he was running away to eat it, but she overtook him in front of the refrigerator. He had dropped the cheese on the floor and w was scratching eag eagerly at the refrigerator door — evidently wanting it opened!! He was doing what he had seen me do many times. He's a sweetheart! The Tell Perky.