Letter from John G. Neihardt to Robert H. Davis, June 4, 1906

Your letter of late date concerning the wolf story has done me more good than all the other letters I have ever received. It was a whole-souled man who wrote that! I would rather have a man say that I "can write like the devil" than to have him rank me in academic phrases with the masters. It's the language of real men — men who have blood in them and eat beefsteaks. You can't know how much that sentence encourages me!

I would take in washing for you!

Sometime when I get a book good enough, I am going to ask your permission to dedicate it to you: for if I ever succeed, I will remember you as my best encourager. Your brickbats have made me respect you.

I will gladly undertake the changing of the wolf tale, and will drown the litter as soon as they get back from New York. I have a plan already made which will make the tale about as good as before. I did like those pups, though.

I want to thank you again for your letter.