July 7, 1957

Dear Miss Martinelli,

Your letter and all arrived. Thank you very much.

I shall ship the laM thing back in a day or so. Wife absent and want her to have a chance to see it. OK?

Afraid I had better let things slide until I get back from MEXICO. By which time those fugitives from DHL will no doubt have me a more rabid Anglo-Sax than the G.M.

Will get in touch with you when I get gathered together.

Like the things you've done. Want to see some prints in any case. I'll write Gordon about that? "Official photographer" M'Gosh.

About the price: think you shld not bow so. I mean, courtesy and all that wasted on all below rank of Baron, and they are getting rare enough so one shld proceed only after inspecting the Almanach de Gotha or whatever. Don't know that I ought to buy at all if'n I can't afford it. And you have the art in yr keeping.

What have you learned since the book?

I suppose that is best to be found out from Gordon.

Glad MSpn has settled down to gainful employment. It'll be good for her Church of Christ soul: I mean, it'll die more peacefully-this-away.

The why one shld bother abt it, I dont know.

Except that they do. Think it 'looking into' their hearts and acting on the results.

May be gone a month or more. Will write you either in late XX August or September.

816 Alison Gardens
Columbia, TENNESSEE
c/o WBTaylor

31 Dec 57

Dear Miss Martinelli,

You wrote me a nice letter way back about November 3, the
date on the envelope stamp. I'm sorry not to have answered it
but want to now that I am getting less lazy for a day or so.

Glad the book got back all right. Sorry to have offered
my excuses. Glad "daz awrite" not once but twice.

Also glad you think "to hell with barons." As I recall,
you thought that from the start of the idiotic idea. My point
was something more like 'to hell with certain orders of free men
or wimmin.' Gather I have not met with agreement on that score?

About the 'how do you frame' it question, I owe you a very
genuine apology, I think. I gather [do you remember what the
hell you wrote me??? or care???] from a long paragraph describing
in detail how YOU mount yr pictures [point of this so feminine
bit of silliness is, I take it, to point out ignorance of them
what asks them what knows questions about which they what asks
wld not understand them what knows] that I asked how to mount etc.

I was thinking you wld send me a canvas and I would have
to mount it somehow.

Or is that right?

Anyway I studied the description and have learned a little
something from it. In fact I probably know more abt the things
than I did in my ignorance from the pictures of GORDON. That I
do not know more [let me hasten to add, my so feminine bit of
flotsam] is due to MY ignorance, stupidity, etc.

In other words, it aint worth yr reading me a lecture about.
Tho if you do I shall probably learn something more, which I am
not dead set against. So don't feel I'm trying to discourage you.

Glad to get yr ideas re MSPANN. First, I did NOT educate her.
She ain't and can't be. All of which, plus what you say, very
obvious. What bush league you travelling in that the so patently
obvious should require announcement in so overly dramatic a manner.
tone?

I wld be more interested to know if'n you think EP ignorant
of what is so obvious? H's attitude, and not yr Darling discoveries
of the obvious, wld teach me more. Or do I miss something in what
you say?

Have no doubt, as Mr P sez and you repeat, that Sheri is always
right. Point being that one may be right in many ways?? In the
way I was speaking of, you were wrong. Obviously. Which only means
being a woman is wonderful. But that the gods have their function.

Luv, Vino Milly

13 January 58

Sheri,

Thanks for the darling letter and card. You raise my
spirits as little else does.

And the picture of Isotta is a wonderful thing to have,
I love is so much propped it up for what good it may do me.

Have little comprehension of what you wrote on it, tho.
Gather it refers to Spann or to Isotta. Hope to MS.

Can't tell you how much I derive from hearing from you.

But you are one of the damndest fakes I've ever met.

I mean, Is it necessary?

I imagine it is.

Glad you like USA. Your bit of satire quite wonderful.
But I still claim yr too damned feminine too do much of any
good. I know a little of EP's view on the subject. But there
is mine.

I expect to be proved wrong. And to learn a little more
in the process.

Hell to have to learn bit by bit, but there it is.

But, to get back to you, a more important subject. Read
the NATION or NEW REP thing or whatevorthell it was. My conclusion
is the above: yr too damned feminine too etc etc.

And as for royalty darling (tho that is scarlage, I'll grant
at once) you are confusin' yr end with yr beginning, no?

And die-in' ain't much help. Just another way out.

Glad about the frame. Thought it a reply to some stupidity of
mine and effective and deserved. Tho yr letting me off don't seem
to do much more than begin again. But then.

I meant you were feminine. Not me. Will check into the
suggestion, since you claim infallibility. Hope you prove wrong
for once.

I didn't mean MS.

Yr comments abt EP most prized. Can only wish you had some
not stopped re Dorothy, about whom I am more curious than about
EP or you or so on and on. AS for EP's ignorance: one must take
into account the level of the Paradiso from which??? Or not???

Have no desire to climb into yr shoes, or etc.

My very good fortune to catch you on a letter writing day. Hope
I shall be so successful again someyear.

Luv,