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

Yes, it will be fun to be together again. I don't know yet just when I can come, but it looks like the second week of July now. There's a big gap from Omaha on June 7th to June 28th when Stanley wants to begin the trip of a week or ten days in our trailer. I suppose I can fill the time with a few horse shows.

Anyway here's some news you'll like. Gail won a $2500 scholarship to from Christian College - one year in residence, all expenses paid. If she maintains her grades she'll get a scholarship for the second year.

Also, Gail received the American Legion award for general excellence! (And she won the award for typing too)

Old Robin was honored last night at the Jeff Junior show for general excellence. Some kids!

The India business looks promising. The committee sent for a medical certificate, and I had to be examined. (I'm very sick with Milkmaid's Knee, Consumption of Victuals, and Loss of Normal Consciousness at Night. There are barbarous Greekish names for these ailments, but I don't know them.) Of course, I may yet be turned down. Just wrote to the Director of the business in New Delhi in reply to stern questions of an official nature.

The National Educational Television Center in New York has finally accepted that series for which I acted as host - Land of Their Own. It will get around the country. The Library of the Plains has asked for six samples of my TV course, The Twilight of the Sioux. If there is a demand for it anywhere in the Great Plains country, copies will be made, I'm told.

More news. After reading Lyrics at -4- the Alumni Congress dinner in Lincoln on June 6th, I go to Omaha to give a live interview on TV next day, the 7th. That evening I'll be guest at dinner at the Country Club. I wish you were going to be there to eat a piece or two of fried chicken and a pea or two with maybe a dab of mashed potato.

More news. This week, of a Thursday evening (Note (1) I did a Lyric for a fraternity with special guests. Really, Lucile, it wowed 'em!

And then, of a Friday

evening (same week) I read Lyrics at a big Breisch dinner for the Woman's Athletic Association. Deans were present. The whole place was full of ladies and glitter and fried chicken. (2)

I've did (3) a lot of this sort of thing. I'm like the girl in the song who couldn't say no!

(Here I draw your attention to the signature "Ed" in Footnote (1). This does not mean Edward, much as it might seem so).

This just about completes the news. You ask about horses. They are all sweethearts, and the Spring colts are so beautiful and bouncy bouncy in the happy green meadows. (Lovely poetry, isn't it?)

We will show my 5-gaited pony, Right-as-Rain. He is state champion, and he won the first show this year (at Stephens College). He really is a horse and looks like a horse, not a pony. He is just under the horse height, which gives him great advantage with regular poniies ponies. And, my God, Lucile, you should see him go! Perfect gaits, high speed, thrilling power! He goes like a big stake horses - with the same finely controlled fury. Alice made him what he is. All horsemen praise him.

Then, Bourbon Stonewall (Alice's champion stallion) will have a big summer for certain. It sounds as though I'm exaggerating, but my God, what a horse he is! He too excites all the horsemen. Alice said to me the other day when were we were petting Bourbon, " "Gaki, he will take care of me. I'm counting on it." She loves him and he adores her. She made him too, from a colt up.

Isn't this a perfectly lovely letter?! I bet you'll read it many a time, won't you?!

The house here at Skyrim is all upset. You know I've been having all the floors done over - tile in the bedrooms, the three other rooms sanded, varnished and waxed. The library room looks so much larger now with the sh shelves out. The walls are panelled in mahogany (light), the woodwork all in ivory and the ceiling white, with an 8-inch white moulding around the top of walls. It's really pretty. I have fitted up a spare bed-room all white with pale pastel green walls & ceiling. It's nice enough for a lovely lady to snooze in!

I don't quite know why I'm fixing the house up. Of course, it is thus made far more valuable, but that's not it, quite.

Lassie, who keeps house for me, does not give a damn how the house looks if she can just be with her Gaki. She is almost human, and becoming more so daily. I've told her about Perky, but I don't feel she understands.

(Oh these dear, dear animal people!! I love Lassie, but I want to see Perky too.)

The comments on my TV course, The Twilight of the Sioux, are on questionaires ​ that were distributed in the classes. The last question asked what the student felt he had gotten from the course. Many nice things were said. I could have copies made, Perhaps I should.

x x x

Mr. Knipmeyer has just been here for lunch, & we decided to make our Dakota-Minnesota-Canada trip from June 8th to about June 22nd, I think. Then will come Stanley's trip & then you.

It's bully to know that the biography holds your interest so well!

I don't like you, don't I?

Say nice things to Bower & Stewart for me. And hug Perky.