Rutger B. Jewett Esqr.

- 3 -

I arranged for the publication of "A Son at the Front" at a date which should not interfere with "The Glimpses of the Moon", and I know you will wish to return the same courtesy to the Scribners. I am in the happy position of an author who has received only consideration and kindness from her successive publishers, and I am most anxious to make the same return to you both. Personally it seems to me unwise to publish the "Old New York" volume so soon after "The Glimpses of the Moon". There is always the risk of an author becoming a bore by too frequent publication; but if you still prefer to bring out "Old New York" in the early spring, rather than wait and publish it say in the early spring of 1924, when "A Son at the Front" has had time to run its course, I am quite willing to accept your decision.

I have put the matter quite frankly, and I owe it to Messrs. Scribner, to say that I am writing this without their knowledge, or without being inspired by any enquiry or suggestion on their part with regard to possible publications by you which might interfere with their dates. They have acted with the good faith they have always shown to me in business matters; and as I have promised you my next novel, I am especially anxious that they should not think that either Messrs. Appleton or I would do anything to interfere with the success of "A Son at the Front".

Cheque for #9,000.- I have just received a cable telling me that you have placed #9,000 to my credit. I assume that this is a further instalment of royalties on "The Glimpses of the Moon", though I understood that this payment was not to be made until the middle of October. My best thanks for the cheque, whatever its origin!

I think this letter covers all the points raised in your last three or four letters, except your question of possible dramatizations and film-ations, which are still in suspense, and therefore need not be dealt with just yet. I don't believe an experienced dramatist like Somerset Maugham will care to tackle "The Glimpses"; but let us hope that I am wrong.

Yours very sincerely

D. APPLETON & COMPANY,
PUBLISHERS.

29-35 WEST 32ND STREET.
NEW YORK.

LONDON OFFICE: 25 BEDFORD ST. (COVENT GARDEN)
CABLE ADDRESS, HILANDERO

3 October 1922

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Your letters written from England were
on my desk when I returned from a vacation up the
valley. Your Berkshire Hills are now as gay as
Joseph's coat. The hillsides are a glory of
yellow, purple, flaming scarlet.

We had one sharp frost early last week
but small damage was done except in the lowlands.
A garden at this time of year has its own special
place. There is something satisfactory in the riotous
bloom, enhanced by the feeling that tomorrow it may
be gone. One bad frost and it is all over. Perhaps
this gives added zest to the enjoyment of to-day.
I never loved the fields and woods as much as I have
this summer.

Do you find the old English gardens run
down and neglected? They were pathetic when I was
there three years ago.

A copy of "The Glimpses" has been sent to
your chauffeur, and I shall also send him Joseph
Lincoln's new story. I owe him more than passing
thought. He is part of a wonderful picture which I
often see in retrospect. I am sorry that he has been
forced to leave your service.

Yes, Vance was a good sport in the issue
of the new serial.

I wrote the editor of McCall's Magazine
a letter of explanation, stating that you had been
considering other offers and found it impossible to
meet the time clause included in his offer, so that
chapter is closed. Some day you may have a short
story or a serial which can be offered them. In
the meantime I feel that we owe something to the
Pictorial in return for their spirit of cooperation.
I shall pass your message of appreciation on to Vance.

Mr Strauss writes that he has shown his
dramatic version of "The Age of Innocence" to several
producers, but that all have been afraid of the

14 October 1922

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Many thanks for your letter of Oct. 3rd, saying that you
had been kind enough to send a new novel to my chauffeur in
addition to a copy of "The Glimpses of the Moon". Cook will
appreciate it very much for nothing pleases him more than being
remembered by friends whom he drove when he was with me.

Thank you for settling matters with the editor of McCall's
Magazine. I shall be very glad to give him a story later, if
ever I write another. At present I am still struggling with
"False Dawn".

With regard to Mr. Strauss and the "Age of Innocence", I
can only conclude that he is not strictly veracious, as his
cousin read me a letter in which he said that the play was then
finished and that two managers were ready to take it. The probable
conclusion is that the managers had not then seen it, and that now
they have they agree in your opinion of it; so let us consider
that matter closed.

I am very glad that my niece's snapshots were good, and
hope that she will send me some too. She seems to have given them
all to you!

Yours sincerely

5 October 1922

Dear Mrs Wharton:

**McCall's Magazine** -- To the undertaker death signifies coffins, and to the agent literature means only commissions. Reynolds exceeded his authority and I wrote him to that effect. I consider the incident closed.

**Pictorial Review** -- Vance understands thoroughly that you cannot write the new novel by the fall of 1923. He came in to see me and I read him from your letter the paragraph in which you state that you could not fix the date of delivery earlier than the autumn of 1924.

**Old New York** -- We are working on a plan for publishing these short stories in a manner different from the old form of a collection of short stories. As soon as we have our idea in more complete shape I shall write you fully about it. There is no hurry; we can discuss not only the format but the date of publication when you have finished the new story, "False Dawn", -- a much better title, by the way, than "Failure."

Have you seen the collection of Italian Primitives which fell by happy chance into the possession of Yale University? They were collected in the days when their market value was unknown. The owner put them up as collateral for a loan which was not paid and so Yale became enriched by a valuable collection. This at least is the story as told me by Anson Phelps Stokes.

**A Son at the Front** -- Please rest assured that we shall do everything in our power to cooperate with you and the Scribners when this book is published. Our relationships with this publishing house are most friendly but even if this were not the case, your market is of vital importance to us. We shall do nothing to militate against the success of the Scribner book. On the other hand, we shall do all in our power to help it forward to success and shall plan the date for the Old New York stories at a time when there can be no conflict of interest.

Mrs Wharton

P.S. False Dawn.

Can this story be called a tale of the Fifties?

You already have a story of the seventies and the forties.

17 October 1922

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Under separate cover four dummy volumes of your short stories go forward to you, so that you can see the general idea which we have in mind for your stories of Old New York, when issued in book form. These are simply rough samples to show the general idea of the plan.

If possible we would like to have four books in the set, which would be bound in uniform style, to be sold in assorted lots. Our main idea is to issue these in a style which will give them a sense of importance to the retail booksellers, which as a rule is not granted to a short story published in book form, or to a collection of stories bound together as a single volume. We believe that the booksellers will sell many more copies of your stories if issued in this new style than if we follow the old beaten path of binding them together in one volume.

This is a more expensive form of manufacturing but we believe we can issue them in quantities at a catalogue price of one dollar per volume, paying you a ten per cent royalty. If there are only three stories in the group, this will net you thirty cents, if there are four, your royalty will come to forty cents.

If possible, I should like to have one of the books a story of the Fifties to follow "The Old Maid", which is a story of the Forties, and for the third story, when written, either of the Sixties or Eighties. Please examine these volumes and give the matter prayerful consideration.

As Scribner will publish your novel in the autumn of 1923, we would withhold publication of the short stories until the Spring of 1924, so that there would be no conflict of interests.

The Red Book plans to issue "New Year's Day" in the July, August, and September issues of 1923,

October 18th, 1922

Dear Mr. Jewett,

I appreciate very much your letter of Oct. 5th, telling me that you understand my wish to give the Scribners the best possible chance with "A Son at the Front". Thank you for your friendly promise to lend your help also, and to plan the publication of the Old New York stories at a date which will not interfere with the novel.

*Pctorial Review*.— I am glad that Mr. Vance quite understands that an earlier date than the autumn of 1924 is not possible for the delivery of my next novel.

"False Dawn"—I find that this story is going to be longer than I expected—certainly about 16,000 words. I am curious to hear your plan for the publication of the three stories. "False Dawn", by the way, is a tale of the forties, so that will be all right.

Yes, I know about the Italian Primitives at Yale, but I have never seen the collection. My sister-in-law promised to send me whatever details she can get as to the young man who made the collection now in the historical society, and I am delaying thesecond part of my story until I hear from her.

Yours very sincerely

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
35, West 32nd Street
New York.

October 31st 1922

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Your letter of Oct. 17th and the four dummy volumes
have arrived.

The volumes are very nicely got up, and if you think
the idea a good one I have no technical objection to it,
though personally I should much prefer to buy a volume of
short stories at S 2.-. You know the public taste much
better, and I see no fault to find with this form of publica-
tion, except that the story I thought of for the Sixties --
the encounter of a young New York volunteer with Walt Whitman
in a military hospital at Washington -- does not lend itself
to as long a story as the others.

Thank you for sending me the very interesting review
from the Des Moines Register. It is one of the few really
worth reading.

Yours sincerely

R.B.Jewett Esqr
c/o D. Appleton & Company
35, West 32nd Street
New York.

Hotel de Crillon
Place de la Concorde
Paris.

10 Novembre 1922

Dear Sir,

Mrs. Wharton asks me to say that she has received
your letter of Oct. 30th and agrees with you that Mrs.
Farrand's photographs of her will not do for reproduction.
As it is too late, in any case, to use them for "The Glimpses
of the Moon" Mrs. Wharton will try to have some better photo-
graphs done in time for the next book.

She wishes me to say that she will be delighted to
send you an autographed copy of Ethan Frome as soon as the
book reaches her here.

Mrs. Wharton is answering the inquiry of the University
of Pennsylvania Professor as you expressed the wish that she
should do so; but she considers the question perfectly idiotic
as the joint matters of the letter have read the book so care-
lessly that they think Archer returned the fatal key to Mme
Olenska.

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
c/o D. Appleton & Company
35, West 32nd Street
New York.

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

LONDON OFFICE 25 BEDFORD ST. COVENT GARDEN
CABLE ADDRESS HILANDERO

November 14

1922

My dear Mrs Wharton:

I am glad you do not disapprove of our plan of issuing your stories of Old New York in four separate volumes instead of publishing them as a collection of short stories bound in one volume. We are certain to secure a wider distribution and a larger sale by following our plan. It will always be possible in the future, if it seems desirable, to issue these four stories and others that you may write, in the orthodox manner.

The editor of the Red Book was in New York last week. We discussed the publication of "False Dawn". Can you let us know approximately when this will be written?

Walt Whitman and the young volunteer promise well for the next story. Have you any idea when you will write it?

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

November 24

1922

My dear Mrs Wharton;

Another royalty check for GLIMPSES has been deposited in your New York bank. We cabled you yesterday that we had placed to your credit a check for $3,700.

The book has made a brave showing, in spite of the flood of "best sellers" which have deluged the book market.

Last evening I read Maxwell's "Spinster of This Parish", - excellent; in many parts the best novel I have read for many a day. I forwarded a copy to you, at Maxwell's request, and trust it reached you safely.

What is the status of FALSE DAWN?

Yours very sincerely,

December 12, 1922

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Mrs Cadwalader Jones was good enough to drop in last week to give me news of you. By now you are established at Sainte-Claire du Chateau. Winter has a different significance for you in Hyeres from what it does for us in this part of the globe.

I spent Sunday in the Mohawk Valley. The hills were covered with snow and ice. For miles they gave the appearance of huge beehives coated with frosting like birthday cakes.

Blaber sends us good reports of the English market for both "The Age of Innocence" and "The Glimpses of the Moon." The largest English jobber tells us that his firm has ordered twice as many copies of these books as of any of your earlier novels. This is very satisfactory from the business point of view for if we can double the circulation of your books with the jobber, it means broader distribution through the small retail booksellers.

Blaber has sold 5000 copies of "The Age of Innocence" and over 8000 of "The Glimpses of the Moon."

Have you progress to report on the two short stories?

Every good wish for a very Merry Christmas and a successful New Year.

22 December 1922

Dear Sir,

Mrs. Wharton is ill with the grippe and asks me to thank you for your letter of Dec. 12th just received.

Mrs. Wharton has already written to you on the subject of False Dawn; until that is finished she cannot very well fix a definite date for the completion of the fourth story which is not even begun.

She is glad to hear that "The Age of Innocence" and "The Glimpses of the Moon" have both been selling well in England, but she is very much puzzled by an enclosure from your London house, apparently in reply to a letter of yourself. It would appear from this enclosure that the French publishers, Payot and C°, whom she has never heard of, have declined the translation rights of "The Glimpses of the Moon". Mrs. Wharton would be very glad to know by whom these rights were offered to these publishers. She has always arranged herself for the translations of her novels, and they are published by Plon, Pourrit & Cie, She has publications from the "Revue des Deux Mondes" and the "Revue de Paris" for every novel as soon as it appears in England, but she has declined to have "The Glimpses of the Moon" translated because she believes it to be almost untranslateable.

Mrs. Wharton would be very much obliged if you would clear up the matter for her, for she dislikes the idea of having her books hawked about a mong French publishers without her knowledge, and when she has a ready market, whenever she chooses to take advantage of it.

Mrs. Wharton fears that she has not yet thanked you for Mr. Maxwell's novel. She had already received a copy from Mr. Maxwell himself, whom she has known for a long time, and she begs you to excuse her if she has not written to you as well as to him. She wishes me to ask if you have read "Futility", with her preface, and to say how much she regrets that this book was not offered to you for America.

She sends you many thanks for your Christmas messages, and her best wishes for the New Year.

Believe me,
Yours very truly

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

December 26

1922

Dear Mrs Wharton:

The editors of The Delineator are planning to celebrate their Fiftieth Anniversary this coming spring, and have asked if it would be possible for them to secure from you a short story for their special Anniversary Number. They will need copy by February 22nd in order to have the work adequately illustrated.

I have already arranged with Harriman to publish FALSE DAWN in the Red Book, but am writing to you now on the chance that the other story about Walt Whitman may be far enough along to come within the range of possibility for The Delineator. What is the status of these two stories which you are planning to write? When do you hope to finish FALSE DAWN and when could you send me the manuscript of the other?

A Happy New Year to you,

Mrs Wharton

28 Décember 1922

Dear Mr. Jewett,

A thousand thanks for your letter of Dec. 14th just
received. Needless to say, I am delighted that you have been
able to dispose of the film rights of "The Age of Innocence"
for such a good price, and I enclose the signed papers herewith.

I am obliged to confess that my mind is a perfect blank
as to the poem called "Battle Sleep". I don't know when I wrote
it, or what it is about, or who published it; but if I really
did write it, and have the disposal of it, you are more than
welcome to its use in your anthology. It would interest me to
see what it is about.

Yours very sincerely

Rutger E. Jewett Esqr
c/o D. Appleton & Co
29, West 32nd Street
New York.

The fifth of January
Nineteen hundred twenty-three

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Many thanks for the delightful picture which you sent me with New Year greetings. I am very sorry to hear you have been laid low with the grippe. I trust that once more you are up and enjoying the flowers. Your post card makes me green with envy, -- the list of blooms is as alluring as a seed catalogue.

THE GLIMPSES OF THE MOON. -- I am utterly disgusted at the error which has been responsible for your annoyance in connection with a proposed French translation of "The Glimpses of the Moon." The fault is entirely with the home office. We notified our London representative that you had reserved the moving picture and dramatic rights, but through carelessness here in the office the reservation of French translation rights was omitted from the card of instructions sent Blaber.

Upon the receipt of your letter I cabled immediately to London instructing them not to offer the book to any other French publisher, so it will not be "hawked about."

I apologize for whoever made the original mistake of omission at this end of the line. Please forgive us.

FUTILITY. -- This book has not been published in America, but I have just received a copy which I ordered from London and shall read promptly. I know it must be worth while if you recommend it, not only in your letter but also with a Preface. I wish we could have secured Mr Gerhardi's work. I understand that one of the smaller houses here has made a contract with him for "Futility" and his next two books. The matter had been closed before I knew of the work.

MRS GEROULD'S ADDRESS is 342 Nassau Street, Princeton, New Jersey. I forwarded your letter to her.

I am enclosing an editorial inspired by BABBITT. It contains the suggestion of several books

Page Two --

to be written, -- perhaps one by America's leading
novedist, Edith Wharton. Think it over.

In reading this editorial I realize the
novels that are being lived (if not written) year
by year in this country. We are still suffering
from growing pains; nothing is settled; there is an
urge upward and onward which expresses itself in
fantastic form and mad developments.

Last week I sat next to one of William Schiefflin's
daughters. She is engaged to be married to young Abraham
Hewitt, but has no idea of wasting her time on dinners and
balls. Oh, no, not a bit of it! She has packed up her
grip and is taking a course in psychology and science in
the University of Wisconsin. Herbert Satterlee's
daughter has just returned from Paris where she has been
preparing herself to earn her living. Morgan millions
give her no satisfaction; she wishes to measure her ability
by the standard of any business man, namely, her earning
power.

Another picture is presented by men and women
emerging from cramped backgrounds, -- in many cases
directed by a very intelligent and definite determination
to secure what they consider the best thing in life.
Another interesting problem arises when husband and wife
are dealt hands differing greatly in value in the old game
of life. Sometimes it is the wife who forges ahead, but
more often the business man and politician develops beyond
the woman, leaving her behind in the home to bring up the
family. Sometimes, however, the wife wakes up soon enough
to realize the threatened gulf and the two advance together.

I am thinking of a typical case of a railroad
man on Long Island, the station agent of a small town who
had married the daughter of an average village family,
both having common school education. Through his
position the man came into contact not only with every-
one in the village but with the New York business men
having summer homes in the vicinity. Keen, able,
and ambitious, he gained what he could from his contact
with the men with whom he was thrown on account of his
position.

From this beginning he climbed gradually up.
His natural ability gained for him a standing with
railroad officials higher up, good luck brought him
new opportunities, and he advanced steadily up the
ladder. By middle age he had been given a position
of responsibility at headquarters of the railroad in
one of the larger cities. There he met leaders in

Page Three -

the financial world, joined good clubs, and
continued to advance himself through his
association with men who had enjoyed greater
advantages.

In the meantime, his wife and two
children followed him from place to place and
at first had been thrown entirely on their own
resources, not having the opportunity of meeting
people of any social plane different from their
own.

They realized that they were not keeping
pace with Father, the wife saw the threatened gulf.
Are women naturally more snobbish than men? In
this case it was a long time before the wife met
on terms of equality the wives of the men whom her
husband had learned to know intimately on account
of business associations. The problem for the
children was simpler. Good schools placed them in
touch with the children of fashionable parents.

In this particular case the wife and
children were wholesome and sound. In different
ways they all made good, improved themselves in every
possible manner, and even the wife ended by landing
on the top rung of her own special social ladder.
I do not claim that the feat was worth achieving.
On the other hand, the woman had become a more in-
terested and interesting human being because of her
efforts to make good. By this I do not mean at
ladder climbing, although I think she felt that this
was a necessary part of the game.

In Washington there are always many examples
of mismated Congressmen and wives. In many cases, the
woman is infinitely more worth while as a good natural
human being than the husband; on the other hand, his
life's work has given him certain advantages and sub-
jected him to a certain polish, at least, which enables
him to pass mister where his wife is accepted only
on suffrance.

The flood of summer visitors brings another
type of American to Europe. Evidently you see many
Lilliputian battles in Paris.

I did not mean to write a Bible when I began this
letter.

Mrs Wharton

LONDON OFFICE: 25 BEDFORD ST (COVENT GARDEN)
CABLE ADDRESS, HILANDERO

January the tenth
Nineteen hundred twenty-three

Dear Mrs Wharton:

The editors of The Delineator tell me that they have written you in reference to the story which they desire to publish in their Anniversary Number. From your latest letter I judge that you are too ill and tired to undertake any new work at present and I have told them not to be too hopeful. I promised to give Karl Harriman the first chance at FALSE DAWN for the Red Book, as he had purchased THE OLD MAID and NEW YEAR'S DAY and wished to follow these up with the third story of the group.

In an earlier letter I suggested that if you had a fourth story in mind it might be placed with The Delineator and begin in their Anniversary Number.

When you take up your work again and know your plans, please write me what your wishes are in connection with these magazine stories.

Have you heard of Wilfrid Ewart's death? You may remember him as the author of WAY OF REVELATION. Shot by a stray bullet fired by some drunken Mexican celebrating the New Year. A tragic ending to a brief life of high promise.

Trusting that you are feeling better and with every good wish, believe me,

Mrs Wharton

Jan. II. 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

I have just received your letter of Dec. 26th,
and write at once to catch the next steamer.

I expected to give you "False Dawn" by the end
of this month, but as you want a story for "The Delineator"
by February, I have just cabled as follows:

"Delineator story about seven thousand early
February False Dawn end February."

To prove you that I am not wholly sunk in a lotus
dream (though I might be, in such divine weather as we're
having) I send you a copy of Part I of "False Dawn". As
to the Delineator tale, I may give Whitman, or perhaps,
another.

I am troubled, on reflection, by the fear that you
may expect the Civil war (Whitman) tale to be long enough
to fill one of your little Old N. Y. vols; and it simply
won't and can't be. I don't see it as more than 7 or 8000
words.

This, of course, doesn't affect the Delineator, but
only your Old N.Y. plan.

For my novel, I've decided to continue the fortunes
of Nick and Susie and cakk the book "Love among the Ruins".
At least this is my present plan; but as I have three other
novels sketched out, you mustn't be too much alarmed if I
alter the order of their production. I don't think I shall,
though.

This is all, I think, to date.

Yours very sincerely

January 17, 1923

Mr. Jewett:

The lawyers for the Warner Brothers who are buying the motion picture rights in THE AGE OF INNOCENCE say that they will be perfectly willing to accept Mrs. Wharton's document without the consular certificate attached if it will be satisfactory to the copyright office. I have told them that we will be glad to give them a paper executed by you as Vice-President of D. Appleton & Company which declares that you know this to be the signature of Edith Wharton. They say that they think this will serve the purpose but if there is any trouble, they will ask us later to obtain a document from Mrs. Wharton properly witnessed by an official in France.

J.C. Pfeifer

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

January 19

1923

My dear Mrs Wharton:

Your cable came announcing
that two stories would follow in February.
I am delighted, and have written the
editors of The Delineator that they could
expect to receive a manuscript next month.

I enclose proofs of your poem
BATTLE SLEEP, also some other odds and
ends.

Have you vanquished the demon
grippe? I am sorry you were laid low.

Mrs Wharton

The twenty-sixth of January
Nineteen hundred twenty-three

My dear Mrs Wharton:

You are a wonder.

In the busy rush of the day's work I doubt if
I have ever taken the opportunity to tell you
of my inability to grasp how you find time, in
a life complicated by multiplied demands, to
write so surely and steadily. Your powerful
work, your fertility and ingenuity, fill me with
envy.

I am glad you are able to
give The Delineator a story for their Anniversary
Number. From your letter of January 11th, I see
that this will not be a novelette but a short story.
Here's hoping that another novelette will come to
your mind and demand to be written, so that we can
complete the plan of four small books issued in
similar form, a series of Stories of Old New York.

Now for the novels.

LOVE AMONG THE RUINS is not
only a most happy title but the plan for your book
is excellent.

And then three other novels
sketched out: Do you marvel that I bow low before
such energy? Of course I am overjoyed.

There is a practical business
advantage in having the first of these novels LOVE
AMONG THE RUINS, as it is a sequel to THE GLIMPSES.
If for any reason you find that this book must be
laid aside because some other novel insists upon
being written first, the change of plan will be a
matter for regret, but the main point is that you
are feeling so well and the creative flame burns so
freely. As long as you will let us publish the
novels as you write them, you may send them on in

February 7th 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

This is just a line to say that, after all, I found my
"Walt Whitman" story growing too long to be finished to my
satisfaction in time for the Delineator; so I am writing a
shorter one instead. It is called "The Temperate Zone", and
will run to about 12,000 words, I think. It is nearly finished,
and I expect to send it in another ten days. I hope this will
not be too late.

Did I ever tell you how much I appreciate Mrs. Gerould's
article about me? If I have, you will not mind my repeating
myself. It is an admirable piece of literary criticism, and I
have written her that she ought to republish it in a volume
of literary essays. Would you mind sending me two or three
more copies of the pamphlet?

I hope you will not be disappointed if I tell you that I shall probably not write the sequel to "The Glimpses of the Moon" as my next novel. The reason is that as I approach the subject more nearly I feel I ought to go back to America, at any rate for a month or two, before attempting to situate a novel in the modern New York milieu, as I intend to do in this book. Meanwhile, I should like to do another, quite different in character, but also a study of New York life, though not so modern, or rather not a study of manners but of moral conflict between a small group of people — the sort of thing, in short, which does not "date" as "The Glimpses sequel would. I hope Mr. Vance will not be disappointed; perhaps he will take "Love among the Ruins" later. I hope to go to America for a short visit next year, and then I shall be keen to do it all again.

I quite agree with you in thinking that the death of
Wilfrid Ewart was a real loss to literature. All the scenes at
the front in his novel were really remarkable, and he had many
of the qualities of the born novelist. What a pity and what a
waste!

Yours sincerely

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
c/° D. Appleton & Co
New York

The eighth of February
Nineteen hundred twenty-three

Dear Mrs Wharton:

The moving picture contract
for THE AGE OF INNOCENCE has been signed.
We have deposited nine thousand ($9,000.)
dollars to your account and cabled to this
effect.

I am delighted that you have
been able to sell both "The Glimpses" and "The
Age" to the film producers. This will help
a lost to meet the expense of two gardens.

I am looking for the short
story, which I think must be on the high seas
by now. I shall give the first chance to the
Delineator and if they can pay the market
price, sell to them. If not, I shall place it
with Vance or some other editor. At present I
have on file requests from several magazines
which always pay the top-notch price.

Robert Bliss has been appointed
Minister to Sweden. Mildred is just completing
a new home outside of Washington, but I doubt if
she opens the house until their return from
abroad, as they will probably go to Sweden in
April.

Mrs Wharton

12 February 1923

Dear Sir,

Mrs. Wharton wishes me to enclose herewith
the end of "The Temperate Zone", chapters VI and V.

Believe me,

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
c/° D. Appleton & Co
35, West 32nd Street
New York

February 18th, 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Please excuse my delay in thanking you for your cable
telling me that the Film Company had paid the $9,000 for
"The Age of Innocence."

I sent off last week "The Temperate Zone", and I hope
to follow it up within a month by "False Dawn". After that I
confess I should like to get to work on my novel, and finish
the "Walt Whitman's story in one of the numerous intervals of
rest which always occur when I am on a long job. I never
write a novel without interrupting it from time to time in
this way, and as there is no fixed date for the Whitman, and
as I feel in the mood for my novel, I am sure it is the wise
thing to do.

I don't wonder you are amused by my far-reaching
literary plans. My work interests me more than ever, but it
also tires me more than it used to, and I have to get more
slowly.

Yours sincerely

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
C/° D. Appleton & C°
35 West 32nd Street
New York

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

The sixteenth of February
Nineteen hundred twenty-three

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Here is a deposit slip from the
Mechanics and Metals National Bank for nine thousand
($9,000) dollars paid you for the sale of the film
rights of "The Age of Innocence."

Are you still buying francs? Our
business men feel that the value of the franc is
jeopardized, that it will follow the mark to some
extent in its downward plunge. I pass the tip on
to you for what it is worth. I know nothing of
finance myself.

We have placed the Swedish translation
rights of "The Age of Innocence" and "The Glimpses of
the Moon" with Skoglunds Bokforlag of Stockholm. The
amount that will be paid for these rights will not
swell your bank account excessively, but will net you
for the whole transaction 35 pounds.

Mr Currie, one of the editors of the
Ladies Home Journal, is on your track. He has asked
for your address as he plans to be in Paris this spring.
We offered him some of your short stories in the past,
but his magazine is designed for very gentle ladies
and, although they think themselves very "progressive",
an atmosphere of lavender prevails. They found "The
Old Maid" too frank.

Mrs John King Van Rensselaer has just
started a series of articles for them entitled "Our
Social Ladder", reminiscences of days when birth and
breeding were considered at least part of the equipment
for the social arena. She is illustrating her articles
with amusing photographs of people known to you when
you were a girl.

I enclose some verses from Carolyn Wells
which were presented to me, but when it comes to seed

1st March, 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Many thanks for your letter of Feb. 16th telling
me of the Swedish translation of "The Age" and "The Glimpses".
If I am to be paid in pounds, would you kindly ask the publish
publishers to deposit this impressive sum to my credit at
Messrs. Brown, Shipley & Co., 123, Pall Mall, London.

I have not heard anything from Mr.Currie of the
Ladies Home Journal, so I suppose his heart has failed him,
and he has decided to apply elsewhere.

Many thanks for the poem about the seed catalogues.
I can only say that if you lived in this happy country you
could believe in them all, even to the colored picture on
the cover, and be more than justified.

Yours sincerely

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

The twenty-seventh of February
Nineteen hundred twenty-three

Dear Mrs Wharton:

The first installment of your new short
story arrived last week and I carried it off to the
country to read in peace and quiet. It is a fine
piece of work and of course I am keen as mustard to
finish the story.

Additional copies of Mrs Gerould's article
have been sent you.

Do not give a second thought to your change
of plan in reference to the next novel. Your reason
for not writing a sequel to "The Glimpses" is sound.
I know you could make such a story more vital and con-
vincing after you have made that long promised visit
to America. Here's hoping that this plan will not
follow the path of others described by Bobby Burns.

I have not given Vance any details connected
with the new novel, so whatever you decide to write will
be satisfactory to him. As a matter of fact, there is
always a risk in launching a definite sequel. Compari-
son with the original story is inevitable so in a way
any disappointment I might have felt is tempered by
reflection on facts culled from literary history.

The editor of The Red Book was in town last
week and asked for news of "False Dawn." What progress
have you made on this story?

I am delighted to know that the Walt Whitman
story promises to develop into a novelette.

Some day in the future when the new novel
shapes itself in your mind, please tell me something of
the theme, period, and background.

Mrs Wharton

P. S. The concluding pages -- 27
to the end -- of "The Temperate
Zone" have just been placed
on my desk.

21st February 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Many thanks for sending me "The Tree of the Garden".
There are very good things in it, and in fact all the first
part, in the Yorkshire farm-house, is so delicious that I
wished for more. But when the love making begins it becomes
too much like Hall Caine in "The Manxman" — which was an
uncommonly good book, but does not need to be re-done now-
adays. I hope Mr. Booth will do a novel of farm-yard comedy
for it seems to me his real originality lies there.

I finished "The Temperate Zone" so hurriedly that
I have had some slight changes to make and I send you three
revised pages to be passed on to the editor who takes the
tale.

Yours sincerely

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
c/o Appleton & Company
35, West 32nd Street
New York.

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
c/o Appleton & C°

P.S. to Letter of 21st February 1923.

I have just received a letter from Mr. Paul Reynolds proposing to me to write for McCall's Magazine six articles on my recollections of New York Society, at $22.500 an article. New York Society in my youth was a small affair, and I shall have exhausted it fully by the time my "Old New York Stories" are done. But the proposal reminds me of a plan which has been vaguely floating through my mind for some time: namely, the writing of my own early memories, from 1865 to 1885 or 1890, in which I should like to interweave the recollections of my childhood and the beginnings of my literary life.

One of my objects in doing this would be to avoid having it inaccurately done by some one else after my death, should it turn out that my books survive me long enough to make it worth while to write my biography. My original idea was to jot down these remembrances, and put them away for use after my death; but as they would be concerned only with the picture of my family life as a child and young girl, and with my literary development, I see no particular reason for keeping them back. The whole plan is still vague in my mind, but I mention it to you in connection with this offer of McCall's Magazine, because I might possibly jot the articles down in the intervals of my novel writing, and I should like your opinion on the whole question. Meanwhile, perhaps you will be kind enough to write to Mr. Reynolds, or to Mc Call, and tell him that the New York Society articles are not at all in my line. I prefer to leave it to you as I have an idea that it was Mr. Reynolds who complicated affairs for us before with regard to "The Glimpses of the Moon". I enclose his letter to which I shall not reply directly.

2nd March 1923

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
c/o D. Appleton & Co
35, West 32nd Street
New York

Dear Mr. Jewett,

I am sending a postscript to my letter of this morning
in order to ask if you would be interested in publishing a book
on gardening on the Riviera and in California, by Mrs.Philip
Martineau, whose book, "Herbaceous Gardens", has just gone into
a fifth edition in England. I have been seeing a good deal of
Mrs. Martineau during the last few weeks, and visiting gardens
with her all along the Riviera, and she is certainly admirably
fitted to write this book, the need of which is desperately felt
by every one on the Riviera who cares for gardening. There is
not a book on the subject, either in English or French, and I am
confident that Mrs. Martineau is exactly the right person to write
it, even if her former book were not there to prove her success.

I have no axe to grind in the matter, except my own
great desire to have a book of the kind for my own use, and I
have suggested to Mrs. Martineau to offer the book to an American
publisher on account of the Californian element. She has been a
great deal in California, and has leautured there with great
success on gardening, and brought back many notes; and this side
of the book would of course appeal to a large public in America,
as she was unable to find any book on the subject while she was
there.

As gardening conditions in the two countries are so much
alike, the whole of the week would be practically interchangeable,
and equally useful to dwellers on the Mediterranean and on the
Pacific, and the subject is more likely to appeal to an American
publisher on account of the bigger public it would reach in our
country. As a matter of fact, however, it would certainly pay to
bring out an English edition as well.

I went the other day to see the famous gardens of La
Mortola, just beyond Mentone, and their owner, Mrs. Hanbury, who
is herself a great gardener, said that there would be a steady
demand for a book of this kind on the Riviera. She says that in
Mentone alone there were 7,000 English residents (residents, not
people in hôtels), all interested in gardening; and there would
be an equal or greater demand in places like Cannes, Cap Martin,
Beaulieu, Hyères, etc.

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr.

- 2 -

I feel we confident of the success of such a book that I have told Mrs. Martineau I would gladly write an introduction for it unless she can get a well-known garden specialist, which would probably be a better advertisement. I hope the idea will interest you. She would certainly be ready to send two or three chapters "on approval" if you thought this necessary; but you probably would not, after seeing her other book. The volume would of course be thoroughly up to date as regards bibliography, botanical index, etc.

Yours sincerely

15 March 1923

Dear Sir,

Mrs. Wharton asks me to say that she is sending you herewith part I of "False Dawn". She hopes to be able to send you the end in a week or ten days, and in a day or two she will send you a summary of the novel: "The Mother's Recompense".

Believe me,

Yours truly

Secretary.

Rutger B.Jewett Esqr
c/o D. Appleton & Cie
35, West 32nd Street
New York.

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

The sixth of March
Nineteen hundred twenty-three

What good letters from you are on
my desk this morning, my dear Mrs Wharton.
Anything that concerns either your garden or
your inkwell is treasure trove.

McCall's Magazine: - Mrs John King
Van Rensselaer's articles in the Ladies Home
Journal have stirred up the other magazines,
and the editors wish other articles on New York
society, especially if they can secure them from
someone with a distinguished name.

I have written Mr Burton
that you wished me to thank him for his offer,
and expressed your regrets that you were unable
to write the articles. I told him that there
were several reasons why this was not practicable,
among them that you were working on your novel and
could not be interrupted.

I also wrote Reynolds to the
same effect. You are quite right in your impres-
sion about Reynolds. He is an energetic scavanger,
interested in commissions. He barged into the
serial situation a year after I had discussed with
the president and the editor of McCall's Magazine
the possibility of placing one of your novels with
them. After I had plowed the field, Reynolds
tried to connect himself with the matter for the
sake of grabbing a ten per cent commission. He
discovered nothing, secured no offer which was not
already obtainable.

"The Temperate Zone"-- The manuscript has
come, also the additional revised pages, which I shall
place in the manuscript, substituting for the cor-
responding pages.

Mrs Meloney said that the story
is much too long for her purpose. She cannot use a
short story which runs to more than five or six
thousand words, and as "The Temperate Zone" does not
lend itself to division into two installments, she
cannot divide it into a two-part serial. I anticipate
no difficulty in placing it either with Vance or some
other editor.

- Two -

Future Work:-- Your plan for future work as outlined in your last letter is excellent. I am delighted to know that you are beginning work on the novel. By all means, put the old gray poet on the shelf until you wish to take him down for relaxation.

The other day when I was reading "The Temperate Zone", I scribbled down some notes of matters which I wished to take up with you. In looking at the paper I see that first of all I have written, "E.W. --a possible autobiography -- Recollections and Impressions, or Loose Reminiscences --". Evidently I thought better of the closing suggestions, for I scribbled,

"This sounds abandoned and as immoral as the split infinitive."

However, you can see that my mind was running along lines similar to something you are yourself planning. By all means, write those early memories and bring them up to date from time to time. After you have the main part of the work completed we can decide which sections, if any, you would be willing to have published in magazine form. When the day comes I can place the material for you advantageously.

Some day you will have collected enough material of this nature for a very valuable book. It was inevitable and I am overjoyed that you are thinking seriously of beginning it now.

Another jotting which I had put down on my memorandum pad was to write you in reference to a volume of unpublished poems. You may have nothing on hand at present but this is always a possible book for the future.

Good Lord, how I wish I could join you to-day where the snapdragon, iris, and jasmine are in bloom, and talk out these literary plans. My eyes pass from your list of flowers in bloom to New York roof-tops covered with snow and an incipient blizzard blowing down the side street. Tomorrow I am off on a business trip to Arizona via New Orleans, so I shall leave winter behind for a few weeks.

Zona Gale's new story, FAINT PERFUME, will be published this month and I am sending you a copy.

Mrs Wharton

Memorandum for Mrs Wharton.

INCOME REPORT AT SOURCE

The United States Government compels us to give a
report on account of taxation for all amounts paid to
authors during the year. The Treasurer states that
the following report has been given:

Regular royalties on "Glimpses of the Moon", etc. $28,711.62
Merchandise, sundry items, etc. 22.28
Serial for RED BOOK 6,000.00
Motion picture rights for "Glimpses of the Moon" 13,500.00

$48,233.90

5 April 1923

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
c/o D. Appleton & C°
New York.

Dear Mr. Jewett,

I seem to have left your letter of March 6th a
long time unanswered, and I have also been very remiss in
not sending the end of "False Dawn". The reason is that,
having gone to Cannes for two days about three weeks ago,
I was suddenly taken ill there with a very bad attack of
grippe from which I am only just recovering, and not as
quickly as I should like. This has paralyzed correspondence
and work, and you must be indulgent.

I am sending you by next week's post the summary of
my projected novel, "The Mother's Recompense", and the first
three chapters, which ought to give Mr. Vance some idea of its
quality. By the end of the month I hope certainly to send
you the concluding part of "False Dawn", and then the way
will be clear for the novel.

Your statement of payments made on account of my
Income Tax report corresponds with mine, made for the same
purpose. The result has been a tax of such magnitude that it
is a distinct discouragement to further work.

Yours sincerely

April 10th 1923

Dear Sir,

Mrs. Wharton asks me to enclose herewith
the summary of her novel "The Mother's Recompense"
with the first three chapters, as promised in her
letter of April 5th.

Believe me,

Rutger B.Jewett Esqr
c/o D. Appleton & Co
New York.

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

The seventeenth of April
Nineteen hundred twenty-three

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Just back from my Western
trip, from the Arizona Desert and the orange groves
of California.

"The Temperate Zone" -- Vance
has accepted this short story for the Pictorial. He
will pay $2,500. I have just closed the matter with
him. I shall let you know later when he will pay
for the story and publish it. I shall have the check
deposited to your account as usual as soon as received.

Mrs Martineau -- It was good of
you to bring her proposed book to my notice. I know her
earlier volume, "The Herbaceous Garden." I have written
her quite frankly that I think it would be better business
for her to publish the new work when written through the
same publisher who issued "The Herbaceous Garden", both
in England and America. If the new book is manufactured
in England the publisher can afford to insert the neces-
sary half tone illustrations and perhaps some color plates.
For us this would be an expensive volume to produce and
from its very nature the field is limited to countries
having a warm dry climate.

Personally, I should like nothing
better than to issue the work, as in fact, I would any
good book on gardening. These are days, however, when
it is necessary for us to select cautiously, as the labor
conditions and the high cost of manufacturing make it
imperative for us to consider the market, alas, as well
as the merit of the work submitted.

"False Dawn"-- Part one has been
received. I am looking forward to the remaining chap-
ters, also to the promised summary of the new novel.
By the way, "The Mother's Recompense" is a fine title.

Swedish translations -- "The Glimpses
of the Moon" and "The Age of Innocence." -- We have in-
structed Mr Blaber to deposit to your credit with Brown,
Shipley of London the sum of 35 pounds.

May 1st 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Many thanks for your letter of April 17th.

"The Temperate Zone".- I note that the Pictorial has taken this
tale for $2,500. Many thanks for negotiating this sale for me
so promptly.

"False Dawn".- This is nearly finished; I have only about two
thousand words to do, and expect to send the conclusion next week.
I have not been at all well for the last two months, and I hope
you will make my excuses to the Editor of the Red Book.

Swedish translations.- I have been duly notified by Brown Shipley
of the receipt of 135 for the Swedish translations.

"Miss Mary Pask".- I am sending you a ghost story which I wrote
the other day while I was getting over the grippe. You will judge
from it what a bad attack I had.

Mrs. Martineau.- I am dreadfully disappointed that you won't take
the book. Thousands of us are clamouring for it on the Riviera.
Do tell me what sum of money would enable you to take the risk?
Perhaps I could get subscriptions, in fact I am almost sure I
could.

I am going to Italy the middle of May to take a cure for my
throat, but you had better address letters to the Pavillon Colombe,
St-Brieuc-sous-Boiret, after this.

Yours sincerely

10 May 1923

Dear Sir,

Mrs. Wharton asks me to say that she is sailing
for New York on June 9th, and hopes to see you on Friday
the 15th. Mrs. Wharton does not yet know where she will
be staying, but Mrs. Max Farrand, Reef Point, Bar Harbour,
will be able to tell you before she arrives. She does not
expect to be in America more than a fortnight, and hopes
very much you will be in New York at that time.

Believe me,

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
c/o D. Appleton & Co
25, West 32nd Street
New York.

June 21, 1923.

Mr. Jewett:-

We have this day deposited with the Mechanics
and Metals National Bank, to the credit of Mrs. Wharton's
account $1,600. received from Vance for THE STORY OF MARY PASK
The cashiers' receipt for the deposit is attached.

FORM 567-1000M-10-25-22

Please list each Check separately and omit all Dollar Marks

DEPOSITED BY

~~C~~ Mrs Wharton

IN
THE MECHANICS & METALS
NATIONAL BANK

OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

NEW YORK, June 21 1923

<table><thead><tr><th></th><th>DOLLARS</th><th>CENTS</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>BILLS</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>GOLD</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>SILVER</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>CHECKS</td><td>1,600.00</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DUPLICAT</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>JUN 21 1923</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

THIS BANK HAS EVERY FACILITY TO ACT AS EXECUTOR AND TRUSTEE

May 22, 1923.

Dear Mrs. Wharton:

This is indeed good news. Of course I shall be in New York when you arrive. Nothing could drag me beyond the city limits when there is a chance of a talk with you. If I can be of any assistance to you while you are in America, you know how happy it will make me. I am looking forward to your visit with the keenest interest.

Vance is pleased with the opening chapters and the synopsis of the new serial, although he does not like the title which he says does not sound like "an Edith Wharton story".

"Miss Mary Pask" arrived safely. I shall have news of her progress by the time you arrive. On my desk are several matters which, however, can stand until your arrival.

Here is a royalty statement for the past six months. The check was deposited in your bank and notification sent you by cable.

We are hoping to secure an order for a cheap reprint edition of "The Reef", to be included in a set of books. If the deal goes through it will reduce the amount charged against the royalty on this novel.

My eye is now focused on Friday, June 15.

Mrs. Wharton.

THE LADIES' HOME JOURNAL

The Curtis Publishing Company

Barton W. Currie Editor

PHILADELPHIA

June 20, 1923.

Mr. Rutger B. Jewett,
D. Appleton & Company,
35 W. 32nd St.,
New York City.

Dear Mr. Jewett:

I'll make it $5500.00 as you suggest.
The payment will go through this week and the check
will be made out to D. Appleton & Company.

We are going to use FALSE DAWN all in
one issue, probably next March or April, both of
which issues are likely to be big enough to get away
with it all in one piece. In my judgment it hasn't
sufficient serial value to split it in a monthly maga-
zine. I want plenty of time to get it through as
we are going to do the finest job we know how in the
way of illustrating.

C

THE DELINEATOR

BUTTERICK BUILDING

NEW YORK

MRS. WILLIAM BROWN MELONEY
EDITOR

June 27, 1923.

Dear Mrs. Wharton:

We are planning the Christmas number of The Delineator. Somebody has said that Santa Claus is dead. There are cynics who claim Christmas has no happy memories; that materialism, selfishness, pretence and rank extra-vagance control that season.

Looking back over the years can you remember the Christmas that meant most to you? Would you be willing to write about it for The Delineator?

We want a human message renewing faith in the real Christmas, which you can do if you feel in the mood to speak. We want about five hundred words, and for this we should be glad to pay five hundred dollars.

I do hope you will feel that you have time for this. We would be very proud to number you among our Christmas contributors. Of course, we should like, more than I can tell you, to have the privilege of publishing some of your fiction. I wonder - if you are in New York or anywhere that is accessible - if you will let me talk to you about that?

If you are in the city, and will let me know what day will be conveninet for you, I shall be so happy to have you take lunch with me, or I will just come to see you wherever you are staying. If you are out of the city, and not too far away, I can come there whenever it suits you.

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

28 June 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Here are some
letters which have come for you in my
care. If you do not wish to take
the trouble to answer them, just
dictate a paragraph in a letter to me
and I shall attend to the matters for
you. You will remember that the
Delineator was offered "The Temperate
Zone", but declined it.

The check for
"False Dawn" came promptly from the
Ladies Home Journal and I sent you a
radio announcing that we had deposited
$5500 in your bank.

Too bad that we
grilled you with such damnable heat.
It was good to see you again, but like
Oliver Twist, I am still hungry.

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

July 10, 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Here are contracts for A MOTHER'S RECOMPENSE.
In section 3 the date of delivery of manuscript is put in
tentatively as January first, 1924. If this is not cor-
rect, please edit and give an approximate date. If you
finish the story this year and Vance serializes it next
spring, we shall publish in the fall. If, on the other
hand, the serialization runs over late in the autumn, the
book must stand over until the beginning of the following
year.

The date for issuing the small novelettes can
be arranged so that they will not interfere with the pub-
lication of either "The Son at the Front" or "A Mother's
Recompense." This point can be decided later, as well
as the problem of format. Later in the summer "The Spark"
will be finished; when I know the length of the story I can
work out a plan for publishing the novelettes in uniform
edition.

If issued as a set, each book would carry its
own title and the period could be given as a sub-title.
The books could be described as stories of Old New York on
the box or paper jackets. The page selected for these
novelettes can be the same as that of your recent novels
and therefore in the future we can reissue them, if it
seems advisable, in a single volume. This plan gives
us two strings to the bow. The salesmen who come in
personal contact with the retail book dealers believe there
will be a good market for them if issued in a set with
uniform binding, at least for their initial appearance.

Mrs Wharton

July 13th 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

I should have thanked you before now for your wireless
to the "Berengaria" notifying me that you had deposited the cheque
in payment of "False Dawn". My excuse is that after only two cool
days at sea I plunged, on landing, into a Heat Wave worthy to rank
with the one which greeted me on my arrival in New York. It had
gone on getting hotter and hotter everyday, but I do not feel
better and better in consequence, and my correspondence has been
much neglected.

With regard to the two letters enclosed in yours of June 23rd
I do not see that the note from Mr. Vance requires any answer, except
to tell him, when you meet, how much I regret not having seen him in
New York. As for the Delineator rubbish about Christmas, will you
kindly decline it for me? I hope to have "The Spark" ready before
long, but I have an idea that the Delineator does not take long short
stories, so it would probably be useless to offer this.

Thanks again for all your kindness while I was in New York,
and believe me,

Yours sincerely

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

19 July 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Your cable in
reference to the Christmas story
for the Delineator has come, and
I have written Mrs Derieux that
you would undertake to fill this
commission.

I reminded her that
the price for your short stories
was thirty cents a word, and
promised to let her have further
details concerning this Christmas
story later on.

Mrs Wharton

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

20 July 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

After I had written you yesterday
in response to your cable and the Christmas issue of
The Delineator, Charles Towne called me up by tele-
phone and said that he had written you requesting a
Christmas editorial for The Delineator and asked if
I had received any reply from you.

Towne is a literary agent in Elisabeth
Marbury's office. I did not know that he had written
you in reference to the editorial and supposed that your
cable referred to the fiction story which Mrs Derieux
desired for the magazine. I shall now wait until
I receive your letter and the Delineator manuscript,
which I understand you are preparing. If it is a
short story, I shall send it to the magazine direct;
if it is an editorial, I understand it comes in response
to Towne's offer and must be handled through Marbury's
office, on a ten per cent commission.

Curiosity drove me to Grace Aguilar
and "The Mother's Recompense." Your Parthian dart
stuck but its sting vanished, or was vastly tempered
by my discovering that this novel was written in 1836.
The author's mother seems to have held back publication
until 1850. My Lord, did people ever talk and think
like the characters in this book! The opening chap-
ters nauseated me but there was an awful fascination
nevertheless, so on I plunged through to the end.

Mrs Hamilton's purity of life and
nobility of purpose would have strangled progeny and
friends alike. Strange to say, the type, although
in anaemic form, persists unto our day and generation.
I know one such case. Nothing can be done about it.
You can no more cope with such saccharine strength than
you can with the onward course of a glacier.

Have you returned to your new novel?
Please let me know if you have worked out an approxi-
mate date when this will be completed.

Mrs Wharton

26 July 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

I write in haste to say that a day or two after my letter of July 13th I was suddenly inspired to do the Christmas article for the Delineator. It struck me that it might be as well to keep on good terms on account of possibly wanting to place a story with them later. I enclose the article herewith; will you kindly send it to the Editor?

"The Mother's Recompense".- With regard to "The Mother's Recompense" I must refer you to my letter of October 18th, in which I told you definitely that I could not promise to have it finished before the autumn of 1924. Needless to say, if I should find it possible to be ready sooner, I will let you know in advance. I will return the contract next week.

"The Spark".- I hope to finish this story within the next two months, and possibly sooner.

Yours sincerely

The price agreed upon for the Xmas article is $500.

Rutger B. Jewett Esquire
c/o D. Appleton & Co
35, West 32nd Street
New York.

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

30 July 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Your cable in reference to your Christmas article for The Delineator has just come and clears up the situation definitely in my mind.

Soon after I received your earlier cable in which you told me to disregard the letter you had written in reference to some request made by The Delineator, Charles Towne of the Marbury office called me up and asked if I had received any reply to a letter which he had sent you, asking for a special Christmas article for "The Delineator." I understood that The Delineator was to pay you $500 for this article if you would write it. I told Towne that I had no knowledge of any communication with you from the Marbury office, although I knew that The Delineator had already written you in reference to their Christmas number.

If you have not already sent the article, I would suggest that you write on the envelope, when you forward it, "For Mrs Derieux". Of, if you prefer, send it direct to Mrs Derieux, care of The Delineator, Spring & Macdougal Streets, New York City.

At one time Towne acted as a literary agent for The Delineator. Evidently he and Miss Marbury have crossed wires with the editorial plans of the magazine.

My letter to Mrs Derieux in reference to price was not for a special article but for a noveltte or short story. This she understands.

I shall not send the manuscript to The Delineator through the Marbury agency as evidently they barged into a transaction already opened up by Mrs Derieux. Life would be simpler if all literary agents could be strangled or put to work on a farm.

I am looking forward now to receiving the complete manuscript of "The Spark", also the special article for The Delineator.

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

6 August 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

CHRISTMAS TINSEL has
come and I am rushing it off to Mrs
Derieux. Yes, at least once a year
we all need a little Christmas Tinsel
to reconcile us to the past and serve
as a harbinger of hope for the future.

How stupid of me not
to have checked up your October letter
instead of trusting to memory. You
will, as I have suggested, fill in the
approximate date for delivery of manu-
script.

I trust you are feeling
better and that the weather is more merci-
ful. Part of my flower garden perished
during our drought but the recent rain has
given new life to plants which I feared
were ruined beyond hope.

THE DELINEATOR

BUTTERICK BUILDING

NEW YORK

August 1, 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett:

Thank you for your letter. I understood what you meant with regard to price, and knew that it would not affect the arrangement with Mrs. Wharton for a short editorial. I just presumed that you had misunderstood what it was we had asked you for. We would be delighted to pay her whatever her price is if we could get a short story from her. I hope that she will feel in the mood to do some - one of these days.

You speak in your letter of a recent cable. I wonder if the little Christmas editorial is coming soon.' We told Mrs. Wharton that it could be anywhere between five hundred and a thousand words in length, and we would pay $500 for it. It was to be in our hands by the first of August, so I hope that it is on the way.

With all best wishes, I am

Mr. Rutger Bleecker Jewett
D. Appleton & Company
35 West 32nd Street New York

MD/LM

THE DELINEATOR

BUTTERICK BUILDING

NEW YORK

August 7, 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett:

I do not know whether Mrs. Wharton is sending the Christmas editorial to you or to Mr. Towne. If it is to come to you, I want to thank you for looking after it.

I should be glad to see the story Mrs. Wharton is working on, and I assure you that we are sincerely anxious to get some of her work. We have seen only the one story, I think you will remember, and that was of a length which we could not handle just then, and upon a theme which seemed very much too sophisticated for Delineator readers. What we had wanted from Mrs. Wharton at that time, was a story of the America of the '70's, and we just could not make a modern story of French artist's life fit into our schedule. We are, however, at present, working out a program for next year, and if this new story is the type of thing we can possibly use, I can fit the rest of the schedule around it. So if you will let me see it, I will promise you a very prompt decision, and will be most grateful.

With all best wishes, I am

MR. Rutger Bleecker Jewett
D. Appleton & Company
35 West 32nd Street
New York

MD/LM

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

August 15, 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Here is your copy of contract for
THE MOTHER'S RECOMPENSE signed by the House.

Mrs Jones write me that you have been
promoted to be an officer of the Legion of Honor. Congratu-
lations to both you and to France.

"A Son at the Front" is announced for
publication early in September. Therefore your novelettes
can be issued any time in 1924 without interfering with the
sale of the new novel.

The manuscripts for these novelettes
were used by the magazine editors for serialization, so I
have no copy to work from. When you have an opportunity,
will you revise your carbon copies of these stories and put
them into final shape for type setting. We are working on
a plan to issue these novelettes in three or four separate
volumes.

The books we have in mind will be as
large as regular novels, except as to bulk. They will be
thin instead of thick volumes. I believe we can produce
something which has a look of real distinction by selecting
an attractive type page, paper of good quality, and handsome-
cover, uniform in style. The books can be sold separately
as well as in sets. We think that the booksellers will
purchase them in assorted lots, perhaps ordering more of some
titles than of others, but their orders will bulk more than
if we issued the stories at different times and not in uni-
form format.

We have consulted some of the large
jobbers and more intelligent booksellers. They think that
to bring out each novelette as a separate volume would lift
the stories out of the class of the "collection of short
stories."

In previous letters you have referred
to "False Dawn" as a story of the Forties, "The Spark" as a
story of the Sixties. In what period should we class
"The Old Maid" and "New Year's Day"?

Page two --

Are you far enough along with
"The Spark" to give me an approximate guess as to how
many thousand words there will be in the manuscript when
finished?

Delineator Christmas Editorial --

Thank you for your letter setting me straight on this
problem. It is thoroughly understood by both Mrs
Derieux and me. I wrote her that your price for short
stories or novelettes had no bearing upon the price to
be paid for editorials or special articles, and that you
were to receive $500 net for the Christmas editorial.
Mrs Derieux agreed to this by letter.

In reply to her letter of the
7th, which I enclose, I wrote that you had sent the
editorial in response to her letter, not as a result of
anything Mr Towne had written, that if there was any
commission due him or Miss Marbury it must be paid by
The Delineator and not deducted from your check. I
further instructed her to send the check to us for deposit
in your New York bank. We shall cable you as soon as
this check is received.

My present plan is to sail for
England the end of September and be in Paris sometime
in October. Shall I find you at the Pavillon Colombe
or in Paris at that time?

Mrs Wharton

22 August 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Many thanks for your letter of Aug. 6th, and also for
your cable telling that you had deposited the $500 for "Christmas
Tinsel" at my bank.

With regard to Mrs. Derieux's letter to you of Aug. 1st,
how would it do to offer the Delineator the enclosed story? I
confess it is one that I think highly of; but perhaps there is
less demand for this kind of tale in a paper of that sort. If you
think so I will give it to Messrs. Scribner's and send you, in two
or three weeks, another story, rather longer, called "Velvet Ear
Pads".

Mrs. Derieux, in her letter, seems disposed to give any
price I name. Please take the best advantage you can of this
laudable state of mind.

I hope you still mean to come abroad next month. I shall
be in England from September 10th till towards the end of the
month and here all through October. The Sinclair Lewises have
been spending a couple of days here. They are both extremely nice
and we have been talking sharp from morning till night.

Yours sincerely

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
c/o D. Appleton & Co
35, West 32nd Street
New York,

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

30 August 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton;

Another step forward in the project
of issuing the novelettes. Here are contracts. You
can hold them for me until we meet in France early in
October.

I have canvassed the field carefully
and am convinced that there will be more interest in
these stories if issued separately than if published as
a book of short stories. It is a more expensive under-
taking, but we are certain that the additional sales
will justify the added expense for us and that you will
benefit very substantially by the plan.

If we issued a book of short stories
your royalty would be thirty cents per copy, and I doubt
if the sale for such a collection would be more than
20,000 or perhaps 25,000. We can sell nearly that
many of each of the separate stories and pay ten per-
cent on the catalogue price. The books will thus
earn a larger amount of royalty for you than the collec-
tion in a single volume could hope to earn.

The format of the books will be that
of the regular novel, only not so thick. Our idea is
to produce attractive, distinguished looking books,
selling the different stories separately, also combin-
ing them four in a box to be sold as a set.

I am sailing on the BERENGARIA September
25th, so shall be in London by October first. Please com-
municate with me in care of our London office, at the
address above.

Mrs Derieux sent us the check of $500
for your Christmas editorial. We deposited it in your
bank and cabled you to that effect.

Here is an article containing General
Gouraud's remarks about the small homes in America.
I remember you were impressed with the great improvement
in the American small towns and villages, their gardens,
parks, and roads.

Looking forward to seeing you in
October, I remain,

Mrs Wharton

September 3rd, 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Your letter of Aug. 15th has only just reached me as I have
been travelling for the last ten days. Many thanks for your
congratulations about my promotion in the Legion of Honor. It is
an unusual honor for a woman to receive, and I am very much pleased
by it.

I will take up the points in your letter in their order.

Old New York stories: I note that you still hold your idea of publishing these stories in a set of four volumes. I will send you the revised manuscripts as soon as possible; the first and second in October, and the third in November.

Following are the dates of the stories:

False Dawn (The Forties)
The Old Maid (The Fifties)
The Spark (The Sixties)
New Year's Day (The Seventies)

It seems strange to put "The Spark" under the Sixties, and
yet I think it belongs there because the period of the Civil War
was the one which formed the hero's character, and to which his
thoughts are always going back.

With regard to "The Spark", by the way, it has been delayed
simply because I have not yet found exactly the incident which I
need to link the past with the present in this particular story. I
am going to devote myself to this now, and hope to send you the
story within the next two months. I have written between 10 or 11.00
words, and I should think there would be at least 5 or 6,000 more.

Contract for "The Mother's Recompense". Many thanks for this.

I am very glad to hear that you are coming to France in October.
I shall be here all through that month, and a business-talk will be
much more satisfactory than letters.

With many wishes for a good voyage,

Yours sincerely

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

21 September 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

The Delineator editors did not purchase
THE YOUNG GENTLEMEN, as you will see from this correspondence.
I sent the manuscript to Vance and he purchased it immediately
for the Pictorial and will pay $2,500 for it. It is a good
story, the suspense sustained perfectly. The closing pages gave
me an unaccustomed thrill.

I have reread your "Son at the Front" and congratulate you upon it from the bottom of my heart. It is by all odds the best novel written by you or anyone else for years. Your characters are so alive that the book is a human document. I felt as though I were reading your account of a group of human beings with whom you were in close personal contact. It did not seem like fiction.

Dummies are being prepared for THE OLD MAID and the other novelettes. I shall have something to show you when I reach Paris. In the meantime, please prepare for me a brief outline of THE SPARK, if you have time to dictate it.

In the opening paragraph of THE OLD MAID you speak of New York in the Thirties. This, however, can be changed to the Fifties, as you class the story at a later period.

The format of these books is attractive; I think you will like it.

Have you a new good photograph which we could have for publicity later on? Some of the newspapers are using a grotesque picture which they have evolved from a drawing which once appeared in the New York Times. Can we not find some French artist who would make a line or pencil sketch from a good photograph which would be satisfactory for reproduction on the poor quality of paper used in newspapers. If we had such a picture, we could send out a reproduction of it to the newspapers and call in all earlier photographs.

If you wish to get in touch with me, a note sent care of our London House will reach me the first of October. I shall be in London for about ten days, then join Brand Whitlock in Brussels for several days before going on to Paris, where I shall be after the middle of October.

Mrs Wharton

October 1st 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

I have just received your letter of Sept. 21st, and am much touched by your praise of "A Son at the Front". I wanted to do something about the war that would help a little to keep it alive in people's memories.

I shall be here for the next six weeks, but please let me know a few days in advance when you went to come out and lunch, as I sometimes go off for the day. I will tell you about trains when you get to Paris. I shall try to have a scenario of "The Spark" ready for you but the trouble about that tiresome story is that I cannot find the concluding incident.

October 1st 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

I have just received your letter of Sept. 2nd, and am much touched by your praise of "A Son at the Front". I wanted to do something about the war that would help a little to keep it alive in people's memories.

I shall be here for the next six weeks, but please let me know a few days in advance when you want to come out and lunch, as I sometimes go off for the day. I will tell you about trains when you get to Paris.

I shall try to have a scenario of "The Spark" ready for you but the trouble about that tiresome story is that I cannot find the concluding incident. Meanwhile I finished another tale more gruesome (I think) than "The Young Gentlemen"; so it will not certainly be worth while to offer it to that female journal, The Delineator.

My best thanks for having placed "The Young Gentlemen" so promptly; and all other details when we meet.

Yours sincerely

November 2nd 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Mrs. Alhusen has just written me that an appeal has been published in two thousand American newspapers for the Church at Stoke Poges. This seems to make the whole affait hopeless, but I should be very grateful all the same, if you would look about and see whether anything can be done in New York through the Times or The Evening Post, or else by appealing to some of the younger writers, as you suggested doing and getting them to take an interest.

I have written to Mrs. Alhusen that I can do nothing more until I hear from you, and that in any case November is a hopeless time for making an appeal of this sort. When I have your answer I will do anything that seems practical, and meanwhile I have sent my own subscription to Mrs. Alhusen.

I hope you had a good voyage and found a few flowers in your garden. Here we continue to have summer weather and the house is full of dahlias, roses and other summer flowers.

Yours sincerely

R.B.Jewett Esqr
c/° D. Appleton & Co
35 West 32nd Street
New York.

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

5 November 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Back again after a
stormy trip. I have brought with me
many pleasant memories of Pavillon Colombe,
your lovely garden and interesting home.
Many thanks for your kindness to me.

We are all ready now to
go ahead with the four novelettes if you
can only get "The Spark" to burn. I trust
the concluding incident has been discovered
and that you will be able to finish up this
story within a few weeks. I would not
bring this pressure to bear were it not for
the time demanded for serialization. The
track is clear for the other stories so I
am keen to get "The Spark" placed and serialization
planned.

Please remember me most kindly
to Mlle. Duprat. I was delighted to meet her
and she transformed a signature into a personality.

I enclose royalty reports.

Yours cordially,

Mrs Wharton

7 November 1923

Dear Sir,

Mrs. Wharton asks me to send you herewith a copy of "False Dawn" (for book publication). This will be followed by "The Old Maid" and "New Year's Day", and by "The Spark" as soon as Mrs. Wharton has finished it.

At the same time I am sending you Mrs. Wharton's new story "Bewitched". She asks me to remind you that she does not wish to be paid for this until January 1923, but she things you may like to have the disposal of it at once.

Yours very truly

Secretary.

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

8 November 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

The enclosed letter has
wandered far.

The editor of the Ladies
Home Journal called me up yesterday to see
if I had brought back with me the manuscript
for "The Spark." He is keen to read it.
I told him that you were at work upon it and
I hope this statement was truthful. I wrote
you earlier in the week in reference to the
necessity of giving this story the prefer-
ence over other work, if we are to serialize
the story advantageously and have the book
market open early in the new year.

Our Treasurer was sorry that
your cable was received after the check from
the Pictorial Review had been deposited.
Have you selected an American bank for checks
earned by royalty or for the money paid by
magazines for serials? We shall be glad to
make all the arrangements for you with one of
our banks if you so desire. It will be no
bother for the Treasurer to attend to this
for you.

12 November 1923

Dear Sir,

Mrs. Wharton asks me to say that until further
notice her address will be:

Sainte-Claire du Chateau

<u>HYERES</u> (Var) France.

Believe me,

Yours very truly

Secretary.

Rutger B. Jewett Esqr
c/° D. Appleton & Co
35 West 32nd Street
New York.

Pavillon Colombe
Saint-Brice-sous-Foret
Seine-et-Oise

15 November 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Many thanks for your letter of Nov. 5th.

I hope, as I told you, to finish "The Spark" as soon as
I get to Hyères, which will be at the end of this month.

Thank you for the royalty statement enclosed. I note
that the money has been deposited at my bank in New York, though
you may remember that I asked you some time ago to be kind enough
to make no further deposits for me until next January. The
amount in question is so small that it is of no consequence, and
I mention the matter only in case you should sell my new story
"Bewitched", and deposit the amount before the end of the year.
Will you repeat my request to your financial department?

The weather has been beautiful in the country this month
and my garden was full of flowers until three of four days ago.

Yours sincerely

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

15 November 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

The enclosed letter from Miss Walker is only one of several which I have on my desk. Have you advanced to the firing line to be shot by the camera man? If not, please be a good sport and for the sake of the cause have some new photographs taken.

The sales department is keen with enthusiasm for the plan of four novelettes, and we intend to make this group the leader on our spring list, if we can get "The Spark" serialized and the book market open in time.

I am cabling you in reference to this matter, trusting that you have found a satisfactory incident for the wind-up of the story.

What is the title that you selected for the group of short stories? Will you also send me the full list of short stories available which have not been published in book form and which should be included in this volume when issued. My idea is to get the material together and publish the book the first season when we are not issuing any other volume for you.

It feels like winter to-day. I am wondering if you have moved to Hyères. On a chance, I have sent some magazines to you at that address.

Madame Wharton

6 December 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

I found your letter of Nov. 8th on arriving here two or three days ago from Italy.

**"The Spark"**-- As I cabled you last week I will send you "The Spark" in the course of this month. I am beginning another story for the same period, so if I am not quite satisfied with "The Spark" when it is finished, I can send you this alternative story the month after.

**General title of novelettes.**-- In spite of my sister-in-law's suggestion that "Old New York" has been overwhelmed I still think it the only good comprehensive title for the four tales. After all, the books for which it has served as title (usually with some other phrase in addition) have all, as far as I know, been anecdotic or historic in character. I don't remember a novel or group of tales with this title. I should like "Old New York" by itself rather than "tales of" or "stories of", that is, the back of each book would have on it "Old New York" and underneath, for instance, "The Spark" (The 'Sixties).

**Projected volume of short stories for next year.**-- The title I have chosen for this volume is "Here and Beyond". I enclose the list of stories, one of which, "The Seed of the Faith" appeared in Scribner's Magazine just after the war, and I propose to ask Mr. Scribner if he will allow you to use it. I don't doubt that he will do so as you have accepted his proposal to bring out, later, the collected edition of my novels.

I am dreadfully sorry about my photograph, but I was only five days in Paris and had not a moment to spare. I will try and find a good photographer here, but I am getting old to be portrayed, and I wish you would all content yourselves with the existing effigies.

My garden is lovely and so is the weather.

Yours sincerely

7 Décember 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

I write to say that I am opening a separate account
for my literary earnings with the "Bankers Trust Company",
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street.

Will you kindly notify your financial department that
hereafter all payments made to me are to be deposited to my
account with the Bankers Trust Company, and not, as heretofore,
with the Mechanics and Metals Bank?

Yours sincerely

11 December 1923

Dear Mr. Jewett,

Your letter of Nov. 27 has just come, and also
the very good looking copy of "Moll Flanders" on which I
congratulate you. Many thanks for sending it to me.

"The Spark"... I am getting on with "The Spark" and hope to
finish it in another week. I should say the length would
be about 14,000 words, but I will cable its exact length
when it is finished.

"The Old Maid" and "New Year's Day". - The revised copy of
"The Old Maid" will go to you at the end of this week; "New
Year's Day" towards the end of January.

I note that you have received my last story "Bewitched".
My poor friend, Edward Sheldon, who is so ill, is interested in
uncanny tales, and got great satisfaction out of reading "The
Young Gentlemen" of which I sent him a manuscript copy. Would
it be possible, of course at my expense, to have a copy of
"Bewitched" made and sent to him? His address is:

35, East 84th Street
New-York.

If you would do this I should take it as a great favour.

Photographs of Sainte-Claire.- I am sending you by this post
some photographs of the garden, or rather of the house, because
the garden has improved so much that I want to have it photo-
graphed again before sending it. I enclose a corner of the
drawing-room in case you may consider that a good substitute.
As to my own portrait I will see what I can do when the photo-
grapher comes over next month to do the garden.

Yours sincerely

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

21 December 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

HERE AND BEYOND is an excellent title for your collection of short stories. I shall have contracts prepared and as soon as the unpublished stories have been issued in the magazines plan the book, so that we may have it ready to issue in whatever year seems most advantageous.

If THE MOTHER'S RECOMPENSE is delayed so that too long a space threatens between the publication date of the novelettes and the long novel, it may be wise to issue the book of short stories during that period. On the other hand, as you are planning a fifth novelette, it may be better business to keep the shorter books alive, add a fifth volume to the series and hold over the book HERE AND BEYOND until after the novel has been published.

We do not need to cross that bridge now. I shall go ahead, however, and get everything ready so that when the time comes, we can do whatever seems best for our mutual advantage.

Will you obtain from Mr Scribner permission to include SEED OF FAITH in the volume.

OLD NEW YORK -- I never agreed with Mrs Cadwalader Jones's criticism of the general title, "Old New York." I think there is interest in the period and that we should not ignore the general title, on either cover or title page. I am glad to see that you feel as I do about it. I shall have a new arrangement made and follow your suggestion of playing up "Old New York."

PHOTOGRAPHS -- Although I accept your decision as to "Old" New York, I reject your suggestion of "Old" B.W. You have nothing to fear from the camera, so please be a good sport and send me some new photographs, either formal or pictures taken in garden and library.

How I wish I could see Hyeres in bloom!

Mrs Wharton

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

18 December 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

Here are pictures of colonial houses. Is any one of them correct for the house mentioned in THE OLD MAID? The drawing in the little gold panel on the cover for THE OLD MAID was not right. Please examine these pictures and let me know which, if any, would make a satisfactory basis for a new drawing.

I also enclose a rough pencil sketch suggested by the author. This looks to me too primitive, too much the farmhouse.

The editor of the Ladies Home Journal calls me up every few days in the hope of securing copy for THE SPARK. Has the manuscript started from your desk to mine?

Proofs of FALSE DAWN will go forward to you this week. We gave the compositors instructions to follow your manuscript exactly. They have made queries which you will find in the margins. Please answer these questions and I shall see that your wishes are followed.

After you have finished work on THE SPARK, please send me revised copy of THE OLD MAID and NEW YEAR'S DAY.

Brand Whitlock writes that he has gone to Cannes for the present. His address is, Hotel des Anglais. He hopes to see you sometime during the winter.

Nothing of special importance at this end of the line. New York is playing Mah Jong as madly as it once did Bridge, and the Episcopal Church is split asunder on the problem of the Virgin Birth, -- a jolly muss and just in time for Christmas.

Good luck,

Mrs Wharton

D. APPLETON & COMPANY

35 WEST 32ND STREET
NEW YORK

28 December 1923

Dear Mrs Wharton:

The photographs of Hyères came
this morning. Many thanks; they are delightful and will
be of assistance to me and also the head of our publicity
department.

I trust that the photographer is
also able to get some good pictures of you and that these
will come along shortly.

Here are contracts for HERE AND BEYOND.
Please return both copies to me signed, and I shall send you
your copy signed by the House.

As soon as your revised manuscripts for
THE OLD MAID and NEW YEAR'S DAY are received, I shall have the
stories set in type and proofs sent forward to you.

When I receive the cable announcing
the number of words in THE SPARK, I shall take it for granted
that the manuscript has been mailed. The editors of the Ladies
Home Journal will plan for publication just as soon as possible
but can do nothing until manuscript is received.

BEWITCHED. Vance will buy BEWITCHED
for the Pictorial. I shall secure a manuscript copy of the
story and send to poor Ned Sheldon.

Happy New Year!

Mrs Wharton