Letter from John G. Neihardt to Lucile Aly, November 1, 1968

5835 Vine St.,
Lincoln, Neb.,
11-1-'68 Dear Lucile:

I want to say hello again, and then I want to make a suggestion.

So — hello!

And I'd love to hear good news of your father.

Then here is the suggestion: I've seen Geo. C. Scott, the actor, in a movie play recently, and was reminded that he was my student in 1953.

He was in Epic America. After he had been out of the University for seven or eight years and had become famous, he returned to the University for a day. While [here?] he was interviewed, and the only teacher he mentioned was me! He was quoted in the interview as saying "There was a professor by the name of John G. Neihardt He sat on the table and [lectured?] [?] and lectured with his feet dangling! He was a man of great charm and we learned a lot from him."

I've wished you, as biographer, could get in touch with Scott and get him to make some statement about his old teacher. I don't know his address. He [showed up?] in Who's Who in America.

Lucile, it is surprising how interest in my work is growing!

My correspondence has gotten out of hand, and I don't know yet how to handle it.

I am very busy with The Old Man Remembers. I now have [36000?] words. It should run to 800 some thousand, or a little less. I can, to some extent, control length, as the book is a series of episodes.

Lucile, the thing is really good! So much humor creeps in unforced. And I've seen several people wipe their eyes too.

My God! Your biography and my autobiography!!

With love for each of you John N.