When Judge Vinsonhaler was on the point of leaving here, he received a letter from Long asking if he would be willing to explain my epic scheme to the audience in advance of my reading from the WARS. This, of course, subject to your desire in the matter. Judge showed me the letter and asked what I thought: Naturally, at first, I favored the idea, for I have a strong feeling for the Judge. I promised to send him the proper data; but upon setting about to do this, I was struck with the clumsiness of such a procedure. I feel now that I should make the explanation myself, as I have done a great many time, and I have written the Judge to this effect. He was willing to make the explanation, if I wished it so, but was not eager. I explain this so that there may be no misunderstanding among us.
I have no legible manuscript of the WARS, and proofs have not yet reached me. I'm sorry.
Mrs. Masters' MIDLAND story is on my desk, and I am grateful to her for sending it. I will read it very soon. I have her kind letter also. Tell her that I can not hope to "intoxicate" my audience by reading a small portion of the WARS. The mood of the whole is the important thing. Still, when I read two days at the University, the response was well above the average, and it was better on the second day than on the first. When I spoke of having been "drunk with the WARS for four and a half years", I took into account the fact that the whole constructive dream was with my always. It can not be with any audience. When I feel the necessity of entertaining a crowd and making it yawp its approval, I always read lyrics and the little drama. They always come across. But I have come to regard that program as rather a trick stunt, deliberately planned what little I know of crowd thinking. Readings from the WARS always gain excellent attention and often arouse enthusiasm. But it is not possible to get an immediate effect with the epic as is possible with the lyric. I need not explain this to you.
Should I read one battle from the WARS? And perhaps some lyrics afterwards, if the crowd seems kind?
Jno. Neihardt
