68.
1925:
Rapid City, Man. 21 November,
1925
Dear Phelps,
You've "done, some, went and did it" as a friend of mine,
agent at a "blind" station, used to say. Is Allison is going
to print that sort of thing? Why didn't you say: "This is
a tolerably good story, a real yarn?" and be done with it?
This makes me blush "in my innocence". Not that what you
say isn't done, quite likely; but you must not say such things
to a man's face. As an anti-dote, I wrote to Wallace, asking
him to loan me Flaubert's "Correspondence". That correspondence
teaches humility.
Meanwhile a few things are coming to a head. "Momentous
Decisions" are on the point of being made. Also, I am hard
at work pulling myself out of "the blues" into which a reading
of the book has precipitated me. You are right, the greater
part; the best of the book are the dots !
But what I was going to say is this. I feel that I want
to spend a few days in W'peg, first week in Dec., when I
can borrow the fare from Mrs. Grove. And I want to do so
incognito . Are you game?
Now listen. Don't figure on my sleeping with you: I don't
want to be any trouble; and, should cold weather set in,
I should be. I think I'll go to 325 Vaughan St. , unless
you happen to know a less depressing lodging. If, of course,
you buy a picnic ham, I'll come and help and eat it. I also
want to make a few calls. But above all, I want a few hours
talk with you - without company, I mean. I'll probably go
on Dec 2, though I'm not positive about it.
Woodhouse wrote tome about the book. He likes the last chapter
!!!
Yours,
F.P.G.
