November 16

Dearest Old G,

No the letter didn't rate sneers or groans nor anything
like that. I was just dawgone glad to hear from you. Sure you're forgiven
...... It seemed darned good to hear from you again.

Nothing to forgive anyway. I just felt bad because I thought
that you didn't like me anymore ... but there wasn't any particular
reason why you should like me .. and if you still do why what the hell ?
There's nothing to forgive.

Yes I've heard quite a bit of Liz's affaires du couer ,
mis-spelled of course , and as you know mixed in them to a certain
extent . Out of a love for adventure and the possible chance of
battleage . But while there was a small trifle of adventure or so the
battleage never materialized . And then that dirty big slob of a coward
Ruggles had to beat up a little chap like Gale Wilson .

At least that's the report I got. I wish sometime when
you feel like it you'd give me the straight dope on the whole business.
You know Gee m'dear I have more faith and confidence in your judgement
and opinions than in most anybody else.

And about experience being the best teacher Gee. It's true
as true all right. But his tuition rates are terribly high. I've gone
along that way too all my life and when you learn things you learn 'em.
But .... by God you do pay for a lot of 'em.

Erinstance, purely hypothetical, if somebody says that
boiling tar will burn you if you want to learn for good and all the
boiling tar will burn you stick your finger in it. That's learning
by experience. It sure teaches all right.

But after a while you get to judging people and knowing
what people and what books to believe and what ones not to.

September 30

Dearest G:

Your mither told me this morning that it was your birthday and so I at once tore down town to get you something fitting. But haveing only fifty nine centimes in my pocket I was seriously handicapped.

The gift of fifty nine one cent stamps was considered - or a months subscription to the "vening Sunse or a bargain in special cut rate sale of rubbers at Reinhertzes but all were rejected on the grounds that you can borrow stamps, have the paper anyway and probably dont wear rubbers.

So Kate and I and the Doc went to Martin's and each had an alleged drink and I requested that they drink to a very estimable lady of my acquaintance whose birthday it was. And we drank and Kate wanted to know how old that lady was and I said that she was approaching Thirty - slowly but surely. And so on the strength of that we drank again and then all the money for your birthday was gone.

But next time old bean I'll try and not go broke until after you celebrate.

This morning in your kitchen we were talking and in came Leggie and a discussion occurred in the course of which I was informed by Leggie that it served me right to lose when I bet on the Sox last fall. Thinking the series was honest. And that he didn't blame the sox for selling it etc. And becoming somewhat wroth, but not showing it I hope, a great and overpowering desire to spank him laid hold of me. But it was conquered because thought I," Sooth and what will become of the small remnants of my old drag if commit spankage on a dear friend?"

Then Kate and I went to the catholic church and burnt a candle and I pray for all the things I want and won't ever get and we came out in a very nicene fine mood and very shortly after to reward me the Lord sent me Adventure with a touch or Romance.

It was a very small adventure but it was unexpected and for a moment thrilling and I was glad that I had burned the candle. For the details you'll have to see Liz.

And as we drove home in the rain I thought long long thoughts about how fine it is to be Fifteen and you. And it raining quite hard and Kate going to sleep I made a poem about you being fifteen and then when I got home I remembered how much more sense you have than I have and the rain having stopped and Kate having wakened up I thought that you would think that a poem would be a very foolish thing. And so I didn't send it.

Gee I'm awfully darned sorry that I've been such poor company this summer and so grouchy and I'm darned sorry that you don't like me as well as you did. And because I did like you better than anybody else it hurt when I heard that you were saying things about me behind my back.

But that's not this which is your birthday and I hope it was a darned good one and that maybe if you don't feel too darned old you'll write me a letter.

P.S.

Good night

Burned a candle for you.

Wonder if you'll rate any results. Told 'em to give you whatever you want.

Love, old dear,

<table><tr><td>ADDRESS YOUR MAIL TO STREET AND NUMBER C</td></tr></table>

Miss Grace Edith Quinlen
Camp Arbutus
Mayfield
Michigan.

The Co-operative Commonwealth

ROOM 205
WELLS BUILDING

FRANK PARKER STOCKBRIDGE
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER

128 N. WELLS STREET
CHICAGO

Dearest G-

Sorry camp is sort of tunking out on you. Maybe it's better now though. Usually things aren't so much fun the second time are they? We oughta do 'em once and then go on to something new - only guess the new things would probably wear all out on us.

Sure I know somebody named Shorney. Two boys Gordon and Herbert. Herbert's older than I am, but Gordon and I were class mates at school. He's a very fine article. I just know the sister to speak to -

No, really, did they have me married in France? Gaw. Tell me all about it. Did I desist her, or what? D'ya think I'll be a bigamist? Tell me all about it. I'm frightfully interested.

Why I'm going to leave here the 27th of August and get up North the next morning and probably tear right out to the Sturgeon for the last three days of the fishing season. They close it up on a man the 1st of Sept. and I haven't had any for so long that I'm starved and crazy for it. Then I'll be back and standing by till the 3rd when heavy marriage occurs. Oughta be a fairly high grade occasion, be a pretty good gang there. Not many people, but a lot of people we like. I'll be trying to get into Petorskey to see you before der Tag.

Am enclosing the picture. Look civilized, than you ever knew me. Huh? Been terrifically civilized for about twelve months now, and it's darned near ruined a man.

Have to go down to interview the president of the U.S. Graining Growers Inc. in a little while, and I'm writing this during lunch hour. Guy I usually eat lunch with is Sick. So talking to you instead. You don't mind particularly do you?

2

Hash is somewhere up on the Upper Peninsula having all the fun that's being had in the family. I won't see her again till we're at the Bay. Sunny is in Minnesota, Marce in Maine, the Hemingstein's are at Walloon. All the guys I know here are left town, not a soul here, lonely as Boyne Falls. Have to stick out two more weeks of it only though. That's a good thing.

Had a terribly funny dream about you last night. Can't remember it at all now, one of those kind that sort of slither away from you, but it was a very good dream and I wish I could remember it. Foist time I've had you bunting around in my head in a dream in months. Funny that it should come last night and then a letter from you first thing this morning: Maybe the hand of the Maker stalking into the room.

Oh Yes. How about ministers, preachers, priests or prelates. In your wide and diverse acquaintance can you recommend a capable minister to perform this ceremony? Hash says she doesn't care particularly what breed of priest it is, but prefers one that doesn't wear a celluloid collar or chaw tobacco. We thought we could lay hold of Bishop Tuttle from St. Louis that summers at Harbor Point, but he may be gone by then. Remember when selecting this Priest that he's gotta be able to read and be dignified. Dignity's what we're going to pay this here prelate for, we don't want no evangelist that's liable to shout out, 'Praise be the Lord' and start rolling on the floor during a critical part of the ceremony. Presbyterian preferred, or else Episcopal, doesn't make the slightest difference to me. What's the local prelate situation. Give me a brief resume. Huh? Pick me a prelate.

Well I gotta eat something and start after this Grain Grower. We go to press in three days. I've been working like a dawg on account of having to get stuff up for all the time I'm going to be gone. Gradually getting ahead of the line though. Sure am sick of it all though. I'm writing a 100,000 word book for them, being published serially in 5,000 word chunks. Deadly stuff. You won't know me, a wreck, I tell you, a wreck.

1230 N. State Street
Chicago - Illinois .

Miss Grace Edith Quinlan
State Street
Peteekey
Michigan

7

C

July 21 1921

Dear Old Gee -

You musta thought me all sorts of a dirty bum because of
not answering your and Pudges' priceless note - but guess the letter
to both of you explained that. Woulda written you both together -
but can't very well - always been separated in my mind and sides
there are things to tell both of you.

Just because you said about my not writing you I'm enclosing
letter I wrote you one day last February when I was feeling low -
that's so you won't think I just dropped you out of my mind.

Suppose you want to hear all about Hadley - well her nickname
is Hash - she's a mm wonderful tennis player, best pianist I ever
heard and a sort of terribly fine article. Spite of the clipping
prophecying a big wedding in the fall in St. Louis, we're going to fool
them and be married at the Bay in that small, trick church there. Then
going to kinda bum aroud for about three weeks and then go back
to Chicago - apartment there with Kenley Smith's - stay there
through November I guess and then allez to Italy for a year or maybe
two years. I've been saving seeds and buying Wop money since came down
from Petoskey and I recently had a grant from the King and so I'm
setting pretty well that away. We're going to Naples and stay there
till it gets warm in the spring. Living at Capri I guess, and
then go up into Abruzzi. Capracotta probably - there's a fine
trout stream there - the Sangro River - and tennis courts and
it's 1200 meters above sea level - most wonderful place you ever
heard of. I've gotten all the dope on prices and so on from my
best pal, Nick Neroni, who's just come to this country amm, we were
together in the war, and he's been staying around with me and given
me all the dope. He's going back in the fall and will arrange everything
for us.

It sounds pretty good? The date hasn't been set for the
wedding, but it'll be early in Sept - some time the first week - and

2

you'll be there of course. I can't invite a big lot of people
because we're having it up North to get away from all that sort
of thing - but you'll come won't you? Invitations and all that
sort of thing 'll arrive in course of human events.

You don't want to think, Gee, that I've thrown over all the
people I'm fond of up North because I've not been writing this
winter. It's been a regular hell of a winter in some ways - been
pretty badly sick a couple of times - been holding down one jawb days
and one nights to get more seeds - been writing stuff on the side
all the time and been so busy and tired and done in that I haven't
written a line except to Hash all winter.

Have what's really a pretty darned good job now - maybe making
a mistake to throw it over to go to Italy - but will have enough seeds
to last a couple of years there - and with that time to write in
I've a chance to get somewhere -

Irene Goldstein was here and we had one good session of tennis
and I was going to see her again and then got suddenly order east
to the fight and had to leave in a hurry - packing on the run and didn't
even have a chance to call her upwards. Lost 700 and some seeds on the
battle - and that didn't help peace of mind any - It was a good bet
at 3-I though - Carp showed that when he nearly got him in the 2nd
round. We were out of luck - if he hadn't been busting his hand with that
first right he landed - but what's the use of Post mortems?
I'd rather you didn't say anything about the seeds loseage - you know
- there are too many people like to think they have a crack at you if
you give 'em any chance at -

Well dear old bean I'd better close - must write Useless -
I'll be seeing you in September - Irene tells me you're getting beautiful
- wouldn't be anything new - you have to be pretty good looking tho
to have other girls say so -

Dearest
Dearest G and/Pudge -

Harm

Haven't any idea where you men are now - maybe at
various camps and so I'm sending this to Pudge's address and Lord knows
what delays before you get it.

Exhibit A. is letter just came to me today from
My Dad at Walloon - he told me 1st part of July that he'd forwarded
a letter to me enclosing one from Petoskey - and it never came - I wrote
him twice and it's finally come back for a decent address and
just arrived this morning.

I feel terribly to have not answered your
congratulation screed - but it's just come this morning and
I'm answering it as fast as I can -

Cause I never wrote either of you men a letter
together I don't know how to do it - so here ends the double letter
with love to both of you and here starts two single letters to
each of you - Just a minute -

The enclosure is for both of yez to see and
if you'll send 'em back to me I'll be much bliged on account of
they being the only ones I have - they're furthest further evidence
in the case -

I'm not writing to Red 'cause she wrote me a letter saying
she didn't never want to even clap a deadlight on me again on account
of my being so conceited, so naturally I'd feel uncomfortable writing to
her on account of thinking whatever I said, she'd be thinking -" Ah
that's his insane conceit." However I'm not sure at her nor nawthing
- anyway she said my conceit was "abomnable" not insane - so that's
all right -

Love to both of yez -