Letter from John G. Neihardt to Lucile Aly, September 20, 1963

Sep. 20, '63 Dear Lucile:

As you see, I've been holding a letter to you written a week ago. I've read it over often, and I've feared it might make you unhappy. It should not, I am convinced, and so I [said?] it. In addition to what I've said in the former letter, I should note that there are some problems regarding evaluation of material. In a few instances, relatively trivial matters have been given prominence, while vital matters have been dealt with rather by allusion in passing. Such matters can be handled easily if you and I can discuss them, even briefly. When you come to think of it, no one could possibly avoid errors of the kind here considered,

except by checking with the only one who could know. For the passages here considered there are no documents of any sort. As for my memory, believe me, dear lady, I dodo remember in detail. This has often been remarked.

If you can accept me as authority on the story of my life, and on the relative values of various incidents in my experience, Iknow I know you can do a fine thing. You have done excellent passages already, showing that you can. But you can not trust unguided inferences and faulty notes.

What a fine time you must be having! I do hope I am not making you less happy.

I have thought of you as my best friend outside my family, and my best fan after Mona. I still do. As a matter of fact, this old man loves you.

When you get time and feel like it, please tell me something awfully nice.

I'm doing my University work. Am gaining strength.

- John