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Identifier: wwu:29292
Title: 1858-06-17 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his brother Charly
Date: 1858-06-17
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18580617
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18580617 [Page 1] Michigan Bluffs, Placer Co. 17th June 1858 Lost, strayed, or stolen! A family composed of 3 adults and 2 infants, last heard of at Geneva Switzerland, supposed from these mysterious and prolonged disappearances to have become the victims of some tyrannica
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18580617 [Page 1] Michigan Bluffs, Placer Co. 17th June 1858 Lost, strayed, or stolen! A family composed of 3 adults and 2 infants, last heard of at Geneva Switzerland, supp
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18580617 [Page 1] Michigan Bluffs, Placer Co. 17th June 1858 Lost, strayed, or stolen! A family composed of 3 adults and 2 infants, last heard of at Geneva Switzerland, supposed from these mysterious and prolonged disappearances to have become the victims of some tyrannical plot and to have shared the fate of the other "suspects" anywhere within grabbing distance of the French frontier. When last heard of several of the members of this unfortunate family had been known to express strong opinions about tyrants, liberty, and so forth. Dearest Charly, Unless you want me to put something like the above in the papers with a note for especial enquiries to be made at Cayenne, you had better communicate with your humble servant. I expected you to be in England long before this time but I received today a letter from [Watt?] dated the 23rd April, where he had not heard anything of you. Have you been so long incarcerated that you find the prison walls the most agreeable [Page 2] shelter, or is the delay in flying to a more congenial clime merely caused by the difficulty of winding up Grandmama's affairs? I often let our canary out and am amused to watch his proceedings; I now amuse myself with conjectures as to your movements but can form none satisfactory to myself and hence my anxiety to hear from you a little oftener than every 2 ½ months. We are getting along slowly. Biler cries (grows fat), nurses, goes to sleep, wakes.[ ||:D. C. al. fin?] He is, however, getting to notice enough to enable us to amuse him, make him laugh for half an hour or so when he feels well, which is a great relief. His only trouble is wind, wind, wind, and when free from that he is a very good baby. His eyes have got "straight" and the only source of anxiety in the maternal [illegible] as regards external appearance now is the slight tendency of his hair to "carrots"; we will trust to age to sober that down. When well he is really a very bright and, in spite of his mouth and nose, almost a pretty child and as Mme [illegible] wrote to a friend speaking of her youngest: If you could only see his pretty blue eyes, he would make a fool of you as he has already made of me. (I have, however, 2 companions in my misfortune.) [Page 3] Emily is getting strong again, though slowly, and I do not expect her to be very strong as long as she has to nurse Young Dropsy. This whole state has run stark staring mad about Frazer River. Many thousands have already left and are leaving San Francisco at the steady rate of 400 to 600 per day. The consequence is that all business is stagnating, mining is at a standstill, it being difficult to obtain ordinary labour at $4 per day (many quartz mills have had to stop for want of men) and property cannot be sold for anything. There will of course be a reaction in a few months and I have no doubt some good speculations might be made now with money. From all accounts we have hitherto received, the District on Frazer and Thompson Rivers must be both rich and extensive, but it is equally apparent that the climate is too severe to allow the mines there to be advantageously worked for many months in the year, and the Indians are sufficiently numerous and powerful to give a great deal of trouble unless very judiciously managed. The idea of a lot of California miners (the rowdy class or say ½ of those who have gone) treating Indians [Page 4] with judgment at any time or with justice when they think themselves strong enough to impose on them is simply absurd, and there will no doubt be trouble. There is also a great deal of discontent and grumbling at the exclusive monopoly of all trade by the Hudson Bay Co., which they will probably find it very difficult to enforce, though I should not think that could lead to anything more than a little ill feeling between the 2 nations. If my business continues as dull during the summer as now, I have had some thoughts of making a trip up there over land with 2 or 3 others to "look round", but I should neither leave any profitable occupation here to go nor go with any intention of staying now, only if I should see any opening for practicing or for mining. I could go there early next season. Emily joins me in best love to Papa, Mama, Mat, Lucy and yourself. Write soon, Dear, and tell us all about your movements and believe me Your affectionate brother M. L. Stangroom
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Identifier: wwu:29283
Title: 1856-12-18 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother
Date: 1856-12-18
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18561218
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18561218 [Page 1] White Sulphur Springs, Napa 18th December 1856 My Dearest Mother At last we are married and, though not quite, tolerably settled for the present. To begin at the beginning: on Saturday the 6th instant at 8 a.m. we were joined together in the holy bonds of
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18561218 [Page 1] White Sulphur Springs, Napa 18th December 1856 My Dearest Mother At last we are married and, though not quite, tolerably settled for the present. To begin
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18561218 [Page 1] White Sulphur Springs, Napa 18th December 1856 My Dearest Mother At last we are married and, though not quite, tolerably settled for the present. To begin at the beginning: on Saturday the 6th instant at 8 a.m. we were joined together in the holy bonds of matrimony by the Right Revd. Bishop Kip, who is a friend of Emily's people in Albany and knew her there. We did it very quietly indeed at the house of a friend where she was staying. We had no bridesmaids or grooms and, to the horror of all those who delight in descriptions of the bride's dress, Em was dressed in a plain travelling dress without ornaments or nonsense of any kind. Her sister and brother-in-law, the Bishop's wife, 2 couples, friends of Mrs. Grant (the lady at whose house we were) and Wm. Booker, our acting consul, as my friend, were present [page torn away] [Page 2] some warm sulphur springs here which first made the place known and which have in addition to the beautiful scenery of the neighbourhood made it a very fashionable and (in the season) crowded place of resort. As the season has been over some time, there are only one or two men here besides the proprietor, his wife, and ourselves. It is a very large and comfortable hotel and they do everything in their power to make us comfortable and everything is very pleasant. We have very uncertain weather, but generally manage to get in a good walk every day, with a ride occasionally for variety. There is good shooting all around and I take my gun with me sometimes. Yesterday Emily went 8 or 9 miles with me and enjoyed the sport as much as I did if not more. She has adopted Charly's Chamouni style of dress, i.e., thick shoes (I firmly believe her to be the first American lady who ever wore thick shoes) and her dress tied up with a piece of rope about 9 inches from the ground, looking altogether like a "buy a broom girl" or a sensible woman. If you remember in one of my letters I [page torn away].
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Identifier: wwu:29281
Title: 1866-12-03 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his family
Date: 1866-12-03
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18661203
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18661203 [Page 1] Sacramento 3rd December 1866 My Dear M or N, as the case may be I have been driving and tramping round to such an extent through the mud and rain for the last three weeks as not to member to which of you I wrote last, but know on general principles that I
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18661203 [Page 1] Sacramento 3rd December 1866 My Dear M or N, as the case may be I have been driving and tramping round to such an extent through the mud and rain for the l
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18661203 [Page 1] Sacramento 3rd December 1866 My Dear M or N, as the case may be I have been driving and tramping round to such an extent through the mud and rain for the last three weeks as not to member to which of you I wrote last, but know on general principles that I should have written to someone long ago. However, if you pass it round, it will not be "robbing" anybody. I left San Francisco three weeks ago today, came here by land 170 miles, and have been having surveys made between this place and Stockton (40 miles from here) to determine the best route. I hope to commence work here in the course of a month or two and if so shall be up here most of the time next year. Some parties here want me to make a reconnaissance for a Railway from here to the extreme S. E. corner of California, Fort Yuma, about 700 miles, but I am afraid I can't get away to do it without losing my position here, though I should like it very much indeed, [Page 2] as it runs down through a wild Spanish and Indian country, among the Apaches, who have become a bugbear among all who have gone down to Arizona and that section of the country. If they can wait a month or two, I may be able to get away as I don’t think it would take me over two or three months to do all they want and to see as much of the country and of the Noble savages as I want. I wrote from San Francisco telling I found Charly very well indeed and everyone glad to see me back again, my employers very cordial, and everything pleasant, except the probability of not being able to get money from them very easily. That, however, will not worry me if I can keep drawing enough to get along with. In fact, I am quite "renovated," am in good health and spirits, and don't care about anything that happens to be going wrong enough to m'en faire du mauvais sang. I hope to get my surveys here completed so as to get down to San Francisco in time to put something in Charly's stocking on Christmas Eve, and if not, then at all events for New Year's Day. I am very thankful that Mark writes in such good spirits. He is quite a new man. [Page 3] This is not by any means a lively town at present, or indeed at any time but during the few months of the session of the Legislature. Stockton is just about as dull but I am stopping at little roadside houses most of the time and have enough to do during the day to make me ready to go to bed pretty early and so it does not make much difference to me where I am. My principal assistant, Frank Hinckley, the one I left in charge during my absence on my flying trip to see you, is with me most of the time and by dividing our spare time together kill it more easily. He is a nice young fellow and (this is for Lucy) [over?] six feet high and with a splendid heavy dark moustache, the regular "Moustache triste" that she admired so much in the picture at the Crystal Palace. I have not seen her mare since my return as I am using my other team but hear that she and her colt are in fine order. If she (Lucy) were only here to ride her, there is splendid mud from a few inches to a few feet deep everywhere, the finest "falling" she could possibly get. Isn’t it too bad. My meerschaum continues to color, but not in as regular a manner as I could desire; it may, however, sober down with age. I commenced years ago to lose my hair; I had the first gray ones pulled out and held up exultantly to my horrified gaze some time since, [Page 4] but never until yesterday have I known myself to be spoken of seriously as "the old man," which was the descriptive term applied to me by a landlord speaking to one of my assistants (a mere boy of twenty-seven or eight). We must all come to it, but he might have spared my feelings and kept it from me a little longer. Enclosed is a scrap from a newspaper, sent me by Daniel Brez, attempting to be descriptive of our passage in the Arago. The fellow who wrote it was down in his berth most of the time and knows nothing about it, but what he says is true enough, as far as it goes. I wish you all a very happy New Year and the young folks a merry Christmas, including Charlotte, in the latter not so much on account of the Year of her Birth as the Day thereof. My best love to you all, Pa, Ma, Lucy, Mat, Charlotte, Charles, and all the little ones. God bless you. M. L. Stangroom I had a letter, forwarded to me from New York, which missed me there, begging me to go to Washington to hear a personal explanation. I am glad I did not get it, though I don’t think I would have gone. It is much better as it is.
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Identifier: wwu:29276
Title: 1856-06-18 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his brother Charly
Date: 1856-06-18
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18560618
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18560618 [Page 1] Nevada, 18th June 1856 My Dear Charly As I told you in my last, I have engaged to remain here doing nothing, until we hear from England whether I am wanted any more or not. So I have at least 3 months before me. Lane is leaving for San Francisco, the amus
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18560618 [Page 1] Nevada, 18th June 1856 My Dear Charly As I told you in my last, I have engaged to remain here doing nothing, until we hear from England whether I am wanted
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18560618 [Page 1] Nevada, 18th June 1856 My Dear Charly As I told you in my last, I have engaged to remain here doing nothing, until we hear from England whether I am wanted any more or not. So I have at least 3 months before me. Lane is leaving for San Francisco, the amusements of that place being more congenial to his tastes. As for myself, I prefer the quiet of this place to San Francisco, besides being near Emily. We have left our house and yesterday sold by auction carriage, horses, furniture, and everything we had. I have moved to this house where I have a very nice room and board with Mr. and Mrs. Young. They are a very nice young couple, she plays [illegible] and sings very well. Her brother and another young married couple live with us and make up a very pleasant party. Mrs. Young is an intimate friend of Em's and has a favourite idea of making a match between her and her brother, who is a very agreeable and intelligent man, a lawyer and newspaper editor. I think, however, she begins to see [Page 2] which way the cat jumps and will have to give up her pet project. Having nowhere to keep him, I sold my bear on leaving the house. I had got him so tame as to lead him about by his chain, but had one or two fights with him. So it is perhaps as well to have got rid of him before I got hurt. I am sorry to leave our house, but it would be very lonely to stay there all alone. I expect to be very comfortable here and to be able to pass the time very agreeably. Mrs. Young is very agreeable, is always willing to sing for us and generally has the nicest people in town about her. They are American Catholics, but of course one of my liberal principles does not mind that. Last Sunday I rode over to see Em at Pass Valley, where she is staying and went with the ladies to hear high mass and confirmation. It was a great farce without the redeeming feature of beauty. We nearly got suffocated with the crowd and heat. Thermometer 104ᵒ in the shade, 130ᵒ in sun and very glad to get out of it. [Page torn away] I had a long [Page 3] letter from Aunt [Nan?] and Jessie lately. They were all well and happy. I also had today letters from Aunty Bessy, Alice, and Fanny. They seem to be anxiously expecting dividends. I am very sorry they should be disappointed. You talk in your last of having your eyes cured as well as Matthew. What is the matter with them? I never heard of it. I am sorry your Prussian friend has left, as you seem to regret him. Since my last letter, I stayed 5 or 6 days at San Francisco to see the end of the excitement. I saw the 2 men hung, but the excitement is far from ended yet. The government party (gamblers and scoundrels) are trying to resist and are getting stronger every day, but I do not think they will be able to do anything, though being mostly desperate men they may cause some bloodshed. Since my return we have had 4 men shot here, 2 by an acquaintance of mine in self defence. Coming back, we stayed at Benicia (30 miles up the bay). From there we (Lane, I, and Booker the attaché) rode over to Napa and the sulphur springs. We had a beautiful ride 45 miles through a splendid valley. One the way we saw a camp meeting – clergymen stay a week at a spot, camp out and [page torn away] [Page 4] "pot a biling" and making a tremendous noise. People crowd from 20 miles round to see the fun and make a regular picnic of it. We rode back the next day and came straight back here where I have stayed since with the exception of sundry rides and drives. Yesterday Lane, the German dr.'s wife and myself went for a drive and had a pleasant day. We had a good deal of climbing and I felt real palpitations for the first time so bad as to have to stop often. Tell Papa I have only just received your 2 letters of March and April. The Railway, now open, is not doing well because it leads to nowhere. If it continues, I should consider it a good investment, but not without. I will look round about securities and write to him. Tell him he may reckon on my being out here several years to look after any investment he may like to make here, as I don’t mean to leave this country for good without being tolerably well off, and fortunes are not made in a year or two and very often not at all. You must not think this [page torn away] short as I really think [page torn away] for writing [page torn away] [Page 5] when the thermometer is over 100ᵒ. You have no idea how lazy the last few degrees make one. With lots of love to Papa, Mama, Grandmama, Mat, and Lucy, Believe me Your affectionate brother M. L. Stangroom
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Identifier: wwu:29290
Title: 1855-09-17 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother
Date: 1855-09-17
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18550917
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18550917 [Page 1] United States Hotel, Nevada 17th September 1855 My dearest mother Here I am at last sain et sauf. I am quite well again in capital health and spirits, only impatient to get to work. We are waiting here while the legal preliminaries are being settled and e
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18550917 [Page 1] United States Hotel, Nevada 17th September 1855 My dearest mother Here I am at last sain et sauf. I am quite well again in capital health and spirits, only
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18550917 [Page 1] United States Hotel, Nevada 17th September 1855 My dearest mother Here I am at last sain et sauf. I am quite well again in capital health and spirits, only impatient to get to work. We are waiting here while the legal preliminaries are being settled and expect to start for the mountains to view the site of our works tomorrow or the day after. This is a small town up in the mountains, 2700 feet above the sea and in the middle of the forest which covers the whole mountains and country. It is nearly entirely built of wood. There are, however, good hotels and shops, and much better accommodations of every sort than I expected so far up the country, though everything has to be paid for [en:?] Washing costs 16 s./ a dozen, blacking 1 pair of boots 1 s./, and so on. Though all these items seem tremendously heavy, I do not think living altogether will cost as much as I expected. We are now in the middle of the dry season and the sun is very hot and everything is parched up, but the country is very beautiful even now. I only stayed in San Francisco 3 days after I wrote to Charly. There was nothing more to see in the town, and though a great place for business and speculation, it is very droll and we were glad to get away. We took a nice ride one day to a place 10 miles along the coast and came back along the beach. To avoid going a long way round, we took a short (!) cut across the [Page 2] sand hills which extend for miles inland. We got into a perfect desert, hill after hill rising before us, each the same as the last. The sun set without our seeing any sign of track or anything else, and the sand was so deep that we had to get off and lead our horses. We began to have serious thoughts of having to pass the night there, when from the top of a high hill we saw a windmill about a mile off. We made for it and came across a track, which we followed and which brought us onto the road back. It was capital fun and so new to get lost that way. There are a great number of Chinese in the town. They have a quarter to themselves, built by themselves in Chinese style. It was very strange and interesting and dirty. We started from San Francisco on Thursday the 6th at 4 in the afternoon by steamer up the river. After getting grounded several times, we got up to Sacramento at 2 the next morning and went to bed. I had gone alone with Dr. H. The next evening Darcy came on and joined me. At 6 Sunday morning we both started by stage for Placerville, a mining town 50 miles off, where I wanted to see some existing [costerworks?]. People that have not been on them can form no idea of stage travelling here. The roads are simply tracks through the forest, which are pretty well beaten though every vehicle chooses its own line. As no road is made, but we run on the surface, taking stones, brooks, etc., all as they come, the ups and downs of life are dreadful, and it really was as much as we could do to hold on. As for the dirt (which is the same on all the tracks in the dry season), it is tremendous, and we could often not see our leaders at all. The Perriere dust sinks into complete insignificance beside it; it is often feet deep. In the winter I believe it forms mud so [Page 3] deep as to be impassable. It was the hardest days work I had had for a long time. The only redeeming feature is the horses, and they, like all the horses in the country, were very fine. We got in at 4 p.m. We had an introduction to the manager there who was very attentive. We took horses and rode all over his works with him and to see the diggings all over the neighbourhood. It seems very strange to see men washing whole hills down with water coming from a hose like that of a fire engine. We left at 4 the next morning and came over the same road. I saw my first rattlesnake, a fine fellow lying by the roadside. We stopped and a passenger got down and shot it from philanthropic motives. We had a race with an opposition coach, broke one of our springs, propped the coach up with a branch of a tree, and at it again and won. Coaches racing on a good English road is sometimes thought ticklish work. What was this? We got back to Sacramento at 1. We went on at 7 next morning up the river by boat to Marysville, when we arrived at 5 p.m. after being aground about every 5 minutes, as the water is very low. We went on at 6 the next morning and, going through the same kind of staging, got here at 5 in the afternoon. We are beginning to get accustomed to it, but when possible we mean to travel on horseback. Four miles from here we passed through a pretty little town of about 400 houses. At 10 p.m. we saw the sky illumined and in 2 hours every vestige of the place was gone excepting the cracked walls of one or two brick houses. Although almost every man lost all he had, I have not seen one look cast down. Before the fire had done its work, timber was being bought to build again. The next day when we rode over the ground, several houses were begun again, and the next evening a saloon was actually [Page 4] finished and opened. So much for Yankees. Where Englishmen would have cried over spilt milk, they set to work and made themselves too busy to be miserable. We rode over there the next day to go over some quartz mill and all the men we met said they were only sorry they had nothing to offer us. The quartz mills are very interesting and yield very large profits where properly managed and chosen. I wish I had £2000 to invest and make 600 percent with, as some are doing. We have met with great attention and civility everywhere, everyone throwing their works open to us and some their houses. There are several Englishmen out there for companies, but none of them pay. They set the wrong way to work completely, as far as I can judge at present from disinterested opinion. Our affair is likely to be a very profitable one, and water co's are decidedly the best investments in the country, though I doubt it realizing W. W. expectations. However, I shall be better able to form an opinion in the course of a month, when of course I will tell you (Papa) all I know (privately of course). We were lucky in our boat, as on the steamer that came this week from Nicaragua, 220 out of 800 died of cholera en route. We have capital horses here, some American ones that are the steadiest but expensive, and native or Mexican ones, vicious little devils, but beggars to go. My married friend prefers the former, but I do the latter. You would be much amused to see me galloping over the hills in a large Mexican saddle, all leather and wooden stirrups. They certainly are wonderful creatures (when they have got their master) and will gallop 30 or 40 miles almost without stopping. Wouldn’t Charly enjoy it. [Page 5] One of the Englishmen I saw yesterday, a very nice fellow, has his wife here, and she and her friends often go out on riding excursions with him. I must get this off for the mail. With lots of love to Papa, Charly, Mat and Lucy, Believe me, Dearest Mother, Your ever affectionate son M. L. Stangroom Do you know anything of the Chathamites? Don’t forget to prepay your letters, to write via New York, and to wafer them.
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Identifier: wwu:29285
Title: 1866-10-10 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother
Date: 1866-10-10
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18661010_a
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18661010_A [Page 1] Steamer Arago Wednesday Morng 10th Oct 1866 My Dearest Mother We are about eighty miles from New York and expect to get in at six or seven this evening, which will make our passage from Falmouth about 13 ½ days. We may consider ourselves fortunate in do
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18661010_A [Page 1] Steamer Arago Wednesday Morng 10th Oct 1866 My Dearest Mother We are about eighty miles from New York and expect to get in at six or seven this evening,
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18661010_A [Page 1] Steamer Arago Wednesday Morng 10th Oct 1866 My Dearest Mother We are about eighty miles from New York and expect to get in at six or seven this evening, which will make our passage from Falmouth about 13 ½ days. We may consider ourselves fortunate in doing even so well as this, as we had very rough weather for six or seven days, so rough as to cause much excitement and some confusion owing to the breaking of furniture. The Persia (as we learn from the Pilot who has just come on board), the second best Cunard Boat whose passage is generally 9 or 10 days, was out 13. The Saxonia, the Crack Boat of the Hamburg Line, generally out 10 ½ to 11 days, was out 17, and the Ville de Paris, the famous French Boat, came very near to foundering. So by comparison, we did very well indeed [Page 2] For a short period of six or seven hours, the gale was the strongest the Captain had ever seen during 25 years on the Atlantic ocean. We lost one poor fellow overboard (a sailor) and got about 1500 [pd?] for his widow and orphan. Some of the big bugs also subscribed among themselves $650 for a testimonial to the Captain, but I did not feel called upon to contribute although I consider him a good sailor and a gentleman. We had great fun during the three or four roughest days, though the poor women and some few of the men suffered a good deal. This turned out to be an American ship and the passengers are almost all American and a pleasant set enough. I have spent most of my time in the smoking room and have only spoken to one lady (age 52) who sits near me at table with her family since I came on board, so although there are several nice-looking girls on board, I cannot be accused of flirting much. I expect to land this evening and, if early enough, [Page 3] to go up to the Brez's. Tomorrow I expect to get my letters and, unless there is something in them relieving me from hurry, to leave by the California Steamer at noon if there is room in her. If I send this, you will know I have gone. In the event of my staying, I shall go overland, starting about Monday. My pipe has been universally admired and envied and, as during the turmoil I smoked and smoked and smoked, I think nothing but a special providence could have kept it from being broken. We have now calm weather, and the only likely contingency about one getting on shore tonight is that we may be detained at quarantine until morning, though that is improbable and would make it almost impossible for me to catch the other steamer. A fortnight has already and when you get this a month will have passed out of the next three years. I suppose you feel already as if you had been dreaming, as I shall [Page 4] also feel when I get settled down again, but it will be a very happy dream to look back to and think over, and I feel triumphant over fate to the extent of three happy weeks of which I made use and of which I cannot be robbed. I feel well and in good spirits and much more disposed to look forward a few years than I expected to be willing to do. Whatever may have led to it or whatever may be the result of my prolonged absence, I am very very glad I went and think it will not only have given me a short happiness but give a better tone to my life until we meet again. Goodbye, dearest mother, with all possible love to Pa and Charlotte. Your affectionate Boy M. L. Stangroom Tell Charlotte I will write to her next and to give my love to Charles.
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Identifier: wwu:29288
Title: 1865-10-13 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother
Date: 1865-10-13
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18651013
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18651013 [Page 1] San Francisco 13th October 1865 My Dearest Mother I don't know how long it has been since I wrote to you and only know that it was since I last heard from you. San Franciscans are only settling down from the excitement of a lively Earthquake which we
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18651013 [Page 1] San Francisco 13th October 1865 My Dearest Mother I don't know how long it has been since I wrote to you and only know that it was since I last heard
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18651013 [Page 1] San Francisco 13th October 1865 My Dearest Mother I don't know how long it has been since I wrote to you and only know that it was since I last heard from you. San Franciscans are only settling down from the excitement of a lively Earthquake which we had last Sunday, by far the worst experienced since the settlement of the coast by Americans. It shook down several brick houses and cracked almost all, more or less. We live in a wooden house and feel quite safe, though the ceiling plaster of my office was transferred almost bodily to the tables and carpet. No one was killed and only a few hurt by falling materials. A few weeks ago, we also had a convulsion in the RailRoad Company which resulted in Mr. Lewis being deposed and my being appointed in his place "Chief Engineer of the Western Pacific RailRoad Company," rather an imposing title, especially to untraveled ears, but not of very much importance here. I think [Page 2] I have done pretty well so far, considering that I had to fight the whole crowd at the beginning. The President and Chief Engr. have both had to leave, and the Contractor has to take his orders from me, and although he hates me as bitterly as any man can hate one whom he has tried to injure and suffered himself from the recoil, I try to get along as pleasantly as possible. The English Company's representatives are expected out here in a few weeks, and if they come I have no idea of what position I shall obtain – if any. If they do not come, I suppose I shall remain in my present position for a while at least. My salary is raised from 300 to 400 per month but my expenses are proportionately increased, [illegible scratched out lines] but it is a comfort to think I have no one to blame for it but myself, and I don't do that much since I have left off "worrying." Charly is well and growing in manliness more than in size. He is naturally delicate though he has the buoyancy and spirits which seldom [Page 3] accompany weakness or ill health. He is beginning to take great interest in his lessons and makes good progress. He is as good a little fellow as I want him to be and I am very happy at being with him so much. I am now able to be in San Francisco two or three times a week. I am and have been well, though I am physically very weak and thin compared to what I was some years ago. I am beginning to get old. I have no doubt it sounds laughable to you to hear me talk so at a little over 33, but that in California is equal to 43 in staid old England at least. I suppose you have paid your visit to Charlotte, seen and gloated over all your grandchildren (but one), and returned home. Although we are not working very fast on the RR, I am kept riding about out the country from one end of the Line to the other, 175 miles, and from both to here so as to have very little time on my hands, which suits me exactly, but it is a good excuse for being an infrequent correspondent. I don’t remember when I wrote (or didn't write) last to Charlotte. Send her my love when you write and also give it to Mat and Lucy. I suppose [Page 4] you are not in any alarm about the Fenians, though I suppose you have some apprehensions about the Cholera; those are about the two only topics of European news now the talk of the Atlantic Cable has died away. There is a prophecy of several years' standing by an old Spaniard that San Francisco is to be "wiped out" tomorrow by an Earthquake, but I do not think it certain to take place on that account. How does Mat like his business so far? I hope it is one that will ensure him steady employment and that he will have sense to see that that in time cannot fail to be profitable. My strong wish to that effect is based on the knowledge that I have not realized it myself at any time until now. I am in a hurry, so goodbye, my Dearest Mother, with best love to Papa. Believe me Your very affectionate son M. L. Stangroom [illegible scratched out portion] God bless you all
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Identifier: wwu:29286
Title: 1856-05-02 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his father
Date: 1856-05-02
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18560502
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18560502 [Page 1] San Francisco 2nd May 1856 My Dear sir We have just returned here from a trip through the southern mines, where Lane and I accompanied Little to look over some works in the neighborhood of Volcano, Eldorado County. We went from Sacramento to Jackson and V
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18560502 [Page 1] San Francisco 2nd May 1856 My Dear sir We have just returned here from a trip through the southern mines, where Lane and I accompanied Little to look over
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18560502 [Page 1] San Francisco 2nd May 1856 My Dear sir We have just returned here from a trip through the southern mines, where Lane and I accompanied Little to look over some works in the neighborhood of Volcano, Eldorado County. We went from Sacramento to Jackson and Volcano. We stayed there 3 days looking over the ground. Rode 45 miles up the country into the Sierra Nevada and camped out one night. In the night I went down to the river for some water, and 3 of the party, seeing me on all fours by the dim light of the expiring campfire, took me for a grizzly and were just consulting about shooting at me when I luckily stood up and came toward them. I don’t know whether my [kit?] has impacted any of his appearance to me. If so, I should decidedly consider it a proof of qui s'assemble se ressemble. We went from there to Murphy's and to see the big trees, [Page 2] arbres, près de Sierra Nevada, in Calaveras County. They are truly one of the wonders of the world. There are about 30 monsters looking much like the cedar, or perhaps more like the arborvitæ, yet the foliage being distinct from either, the leaves being round like whipcord instead of flat. They are classed as "Taxodeum gigans" and called "Washingtonia gigantea". They vary from 20 to 30 feet in diameter above the roots and are from 300 to 350 feet high. They say the tallest is 400. On the stump of one that has been cut down, 24 feet di., a very respectable table dancing platform is made and a horseman can ride 100 feet through the hollow trunk of one that has fallen. They present a splendid appearance, being perfectly straight and without foliage for 200 feet above ground. They well repaid the visit. One day we left our horses to go down a [bad?] place to the river. On our return found them gone, or [Page 3] rather did not find them. So we had to trudge 7 miles home in the dark through the forest, losing the trail and getting into all sorts of difficulties. We managed, however, to get home at about 11 very tired and hungry and determined to have stronger halters for the future. The horses were found next day but it cost us 50$, as the saddles were lost. We went on to Sonora, and Columbia, looked round the mines and on to Stockton and from there by boat down here. I don't see much probability of any satisfactory arrangement being made with the old Co. as they are behaving in a not unaccountable manner and have perfectly disgusted Little. I think, however, that he will give them a fair chance if they are at all reasonable in their ideas. If that affair is broken up, I expect he will invest the money in some other speculations, several of which seem advantageous, and I think a very handsome income [Page 4] could be derived from some of them. If the whole concern were to fall through, I think I should turn to mining, but – sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof – I am not at all anxious on my own account, but should be very sorry on Wm. Nicholson's. The passengers of the steamer which has just arrived have had a dreadful massacre at Panama. It began by a dispute about 10 cents and ended in a general fight. The natives firing into the mass killed 25 and wounded 27 passengers, some of them women, plundered the railway office and some of the hotels and did much damage. An American steerage passenger was the aggressor, but it has the appearance of the natives having been prepared to do something. We have beautiful weather down here, nice and cool, but up at Nevada the thermometer was 91ᵒ in the shade in March. What will it be in August? It won’t bear thinking of at all [Page 5] – from what we see in the papers, I should think that peace really is more probable than I expected some time since, though I hardly think we are getting enough for the money and life spent. I suppose there have been great rejoicings throughout France about the new youngster with the big head. Flags are flying here in his honour, and a French frigate in the harbor is wasting a good deal of powder. The country is beginning to present a beautiful appearance, being covered with a carpet of wild flowers, some of them very beautiful. You can ride for hundreds of miles and see them as far as the eye can reach. I only came down here to get my letters and return to Nevada (alone this time) this afternoon. Lane and Little remain [Page 6] down here to settle some law business. I am glad enough to get rid of them for a short time as the amount of chaff I have to bear is more than enough. We have no facts to go on, but are very strong on inductive reasoning. I intended to send you a small map of this country on a sheet of letter paper. It is tolerably correct and would give you a good idea of the country. I have some at Nevada but find I cannot get any here. I will send one next time. With lots of love to Mama, Charly, Grandmama, Mat and Lucy, believe me, my dear sir, your affectionate son, M. L. Stangroom You had better continue to address to me under cover to the British consul, as I may not remain at Nevada.
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Identifier: wwu:24106
Title: Means - Shuttered Windows
Date: 1947-11-14/1950-01-09, 1947-11-14-1950-01-09
Description: Four letters from Florence Crannell Means to Elizabeth Rider Montgomery and a four page questionnaire completed by Florence Crannell Means. Shuttered Windows was published in 1938 by Houghton Mifflin.
Digital Collection: info:fedora/wwu:24050
Type of resource: Text
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: 20th century children's authors collection: writing about writing in letters and personal narratives
Local Identifier: 20thCCA_means
Text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - Means</identifier> <abstract> ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Florence Crannell Means - Shuttered Windows ---- ------ ---------- 20thCCA_Means_01 ---------- Florence Crannell Means 595 Baseline Road Boulder, Colorado November 14, 1
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - Means</identifier> <abstract> ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Florence Crannell Means - Shuttered Windows ---- ------ ---------- 20
Show more20th Century Children's Authors - Means</identifier> <abstract> ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Florence Crannell Means - Shuttered Windows ---- ------ ---------- 20thCCA_Means_01 ---------- Florence Crannell Means 595 Baseline Road Boulder, Colorado November 14, 1947 Elizabeth Rider Montgomery 3209 Alki Avenue Seattle 6, Washington Dear Miss Montgomery, How interesting your books do sound! Some of the titles are very familiar, but I have read non of them. Like fictioneers, I take out a good deal of my reading on my own. That is not so self-centered as it sounds; for some time the actual hours had been lacking, with a dear bedfast mother in our home; and for still longer the ability to read much, because of slowly increasing cataracts and other eye difficulties, together with this apparently everlasting migraine. That is off the record, though. I'm delighted that you wish to include Shuttered Windows in the new book. It Means much to me. And, by the way, I am sending one present day snapshot, for I hardly recognize myself in these then-year-past pictures. ---------- 20thCCA_Means_02 ---------- This is really belongs to two of your questions, the one as to special difficulties and the later one - "anything else about your writing- " When I went down to the sea islands, the stories about little children were my goal, and I chose Mather primarily because it had a practise teaching school on its campus, with plenty of (lovable!) little children, many of them from the most utterly primitive homes. Before this I had spent some time getting acquainted with other minority groups in their own environment, and had found them pretty easy to make friends with. Here, I was warned, the problem would be different; I must not expect to find the teen-age girls friendly, nor at all open to friendly advances from the resented white. Gullahs, mostly, proud and even dour. So, I was careful to make it clear that I had no intentions of using them in writing. At first I tried my best not to act like a writer at all, but that didn't work, for I kept being asked to speak in classes and chapel and son on. Soon I gave up concealing my guilt, but made it known that I was writing about small children - my only intent. The girls warmed up steadily; hurry as much as I could, I'd find my room done, when I came up from breakfast, and a neatly lettered and decorated card on the pillows, saying, "Good morning, Mrs. Means!" and perhaps a vase of flowers or a boutonniere of opoponax on the dresser; and at night the bed would be turned down, with the card turned about and saying, "Good night, Mrs. Means!" ---------- 20thCCA_Means_03 ---------- They took me on hikes through the wonderful dusky woods; they had a party for me. And when the last day of my visit came, there were three or four who tried all day to get a visit with me. Always there seemed to be a teacher there ahead of them, and I'd look up only to see a disappointed face bob back out of sight. Time for the evening bell came, and still they had failed, so I asked the principal if they might come anyway. She consented, and they poured in, with as many more as the room would hold, in nighties, robes, slippers - and usually with firmly tied heads, so the damp breezes should not "take out the straight." Till near midnight they talked. They told about their hopes and fears and immediate plans. And at last there was a flash of eyes between two of the leaders, Susan and Jessie Ree; and as if by pre- arrangement, Jessie Ree (volatile, brilliant, poetic), burst out, "Mis' Means, we wish you'd write a book about us! Just as if we were white girls! ---And leave the problem out." There was gooseflesh all over me and dew in my eyes. Then Susan, a leader, tall and straight and independent, who became the beginning of my Harriet, said something that made the dew thicken: "Oh, Jessie Ree! Nobody could write about us and leave the problem out." Well, you see? I had to write that book, though I had not meant to at all. ---------- 20thCCA_Means_04 ---------- The then editor in the Children's Department of Houghton was distressed but pretty determined. Such a book, with neither the comic nor the tragic stressed, would have a painfully limited sale. At the time I was corresponding with Wilma McFarland, the vividly interesting editor (then) of Portal, Methodist publication for girls. I think I had just cut Tangled Waters for a serial for her. I added a postscript to a letter, telling her of my publisher' unwillingness to have me do this book and asking her whether she would like a serial of that sort. A joyful assent came back by air, with the assurance that it would have book publication even if Houghton didn't want it. Houghton soon did, I'm glad to say. They have always been remarkably liberal in their attitudes. Ira Rich Kent, who long had charge of my own work, had been editor of Youth's Companion, to which I had sold some of my first stories and poems. That was the reason I sent him my first book, Candle In The Midst, and I always thanked my lucky stars, for he was the kind of publisher that embodied all the best, kindest, most delightful. It was a deep personal blow to receive word of his death just tow years ago. My whole family felt it. As Shuttered Windows, there was an initial difficulty which I neglected to mention: my own superficial personal acquaintance with the glamorously beautiful region. Previously I had tried always to use the thoroughly familiar ground...Then it occurred to me that the difficulty could be obviated by having my viewpoint character (Harriet) ---------- 20thCCA_Means_05 ---------- an outlander herself, seeing as unfamiliar a scene as I did, and with as limited a knowledge of it. I really did think that was a little bit smart of me. Miss Walters, then the principal of Mather, was interested in the evolving book, and through her I instituted a prize contest for letters which should tell of customs, sayings, superstitions, and elements which the girls would like to see embodied in "their book." That brought me a great deal of material. And when the book had had its second writing, I sent it to Miss Walters, and she read it aloud to her senior English class, for careful scrutiny. The teachers also scanned it with care for inaccuracies. Yes, the girls seemed to like it, when it was done...I have kept in touch with a number of them, through the years Another thing I forgot, in the questionnaire, was a particularly silly set of nicknames which we used: my husband was Pebblers, I was Spuggins, Eleanor was Larky, and Pixy, her little terrier, was Gann. Don't ask me why. Other home nicknames for me - well, one has always been Gypsy; and another my late beloved father's, My Son Tommy. I'm mostly Mom to my daughter; and the four adorable grandchildren (from three to nine) named me Nanny when I called myself Granny to them. My husband is Boppa.----That Gypsy really is confidential, since it is my husband's own name for me, and I give it only to add a touch to the picture....All my newer Please don't use it. ---------- 20thCCA_Means_06 ---------- friends, when they begin to use my first name, first disdain the Flossy they hear older friends use - "How absurd, for you!" - but almost everyone comes to it. Life has been so interesting - so exciting in a quiet way - that I could go on indefinitely when someone really asks for it! Work with the Indians has been a delight, and has led to many adventures and to a Hopi Sun- Clan name and a Hopi namesake, now beginning her nurse's training at Granado, Arizona. As I suggested in the dedication of Assorted Sisters, the latest, I have an Assorted Family. Have just been dressing a doll for Christmas, for Flossy Lee, my Chinese granddaughter in Shanghai; Have three more "grand children" there, and a daughter; and a Spanish-American family to whom I am always Nanny (Jody doesn't think our blood-kin grandchildren really belong to me as he does); two Japanese who call me Aunt Flo, two Burmese girls who call me Aunt Flossy; and so on. I like it. ---------- 20thCCA_Means_07 ---------- And my best wishes to you in this fascinating project. Sincerely yours, Florence Crannell Means ---------- 20thCCA_Means_08 ---------- Florence Crannell Means 595 Baseline Road Boulder, Colorado January 12, 1948 Elizabeth Rider Montgomery 3209 Alki Avenue Seattle 6, Washington Dear Miss (or is it Mrs.?) Montgomery, (oh, excuse my blindness! It is Mrs. I see) It has been a pleasure to read the chapter you have written about Shuttered Windows. I like it, and am grateful to have so fine a piece of publicity for the book. There was a practically nothing that seemed to need change. One little point, which I have noted on the script, is that it was a particular group of Negroes that i was warned about: these Gullahs on the islands off the coast and in the Carolina Lowlands. The other, even more trivial, point, is that I don't recognize myself when I wear an "ie," for it has always been "Flossy" in our family. Before I send it back to you I'll ask my husband to read it over, too, and note anything that he may not like; but I don't see how there can be anything! I am delighted with the list of other books you have chosen, also, and proud to be included in that goodly company. We shall be watching for your book. Don't you think there are a terrific number of Us Writers that are bedeviled with migraine? I was much interested in your experience with it, for it is the second time these eye exercises have been commended to me on that score. I know a little about them, and we have one book on the subject, but I have been deterred by the urgency of my debt to physicians and high though my regard for them, I think they are remarkably slow in letting down their barriers against the new. Don't you? About six years ago I had my eyes examined for "aniseikonia" rather newly discovered eye defect, and was found to have a marked degree of the defect, and given glasses which for a long time out my migraine attacks to four or five a year (of the prostrating ones, that is) from the two a week which I had been having, - meaning intervals only when bought by shots of gynergen. But a year of caring for my dear bedridden mother, after several years when she was partially bedridden, and months when she was my beloved helpless baby, and then her death last March, - these have brought the migraine back, and more nearly incessant than ever. The doctor thinks it is the prolonged overdraft of energy and emotion, together with slowly increasing cataracts. And have you noticed the opinions of medical men recently, after ---------- 20thCCA_Means_09 ---------- much study? That all these other things - allergies, eyes, overwork - may be the trigger to set off the attack; but that the cause is an inherited over-sensitivity of the brain? I suppose we are almost all too high-keyed. But if I had to give up this prismatic world of mine, in exchange for entire freedom from the unutterable distress of migraine - well, would I? But I shall get the Aldous Huxley (one of my friends had it laid out for me not long ago, I recall) and rend it thoughtfully, in the light of your experience. If you have time, do tell me whether - No, you needn't, for I am pretty sure you must have taken the treatment under a specialist. It has been fun to meet you, and i shall hope to hear from you again some day. And come and see us when you are in Colorado Cordially yours, Florence Means P.S. My husband read the chapter and came in with the peculiarly blank look of a man who has had a thing explained twice while he was away exploring the possibilities of the income tax. "What is this, dear?" Both giggling and scolding, I explain. "Well, it's fine!" he says heartily. "It's really fine!" And if you knew how discriminating he is, you'd really like that. ---------- 20thCCA_Means_10 ---------- Palmer Lake, Colorado July 20, 1948 Thank you so much for the carbon of your definitive chapter on S.W. - I like it very much indeed. You may be interested to know that S.W. has just outrun all my other fourteen Houghton books on sales - and isn't that gratifying for its theme?-------- Thank you too for the information about the eyes.-- We are here at our beloved mountain shack, but only briefly: all gay paint, bright calico, log fires, spruce trees. Come see us.-----And please give my regards to your Janet and tell her how glad I am that she likes my books.----Would not let a post card do if deadlines were not just now pressing. You know! Sincerely, Florence Crannell Means ---------- 20thCCA_Means_11 ---------- Mrs. Elizabeth R. Montgomery 3209 Alki Avenue Seattle 6 Washington ---------- 20thCCA_Means_12 ---------- Boulder January 9, 1950 Dear Mrs. Montgomery, Your new book is perfectly delightful! As you know, my reading is strictly LTD., so I've so far only tasted The Story Behind Modern Books, reading maybe a dozen of the chapters. But I shall read them all! That's the kind of book it is. When my latest sales report came, some three weeks ago, Carl and I noticed a considerable increase in the good, steady sale of Shuttered Windows. "Wha's'is?" says Carl. Flossy cogitated. Briefly, "What but E.R.M?" sez she. It really does seem as if it must be your book, plus ---------- 20thCCA_Means_13 ---------- the use of the S.W. chapter in American Girl, plus the reprint in a widely distributed pamphlet (The Jewish Committee's). So here's another thank you. Know what I mean to do? Make a list, from yours (I've a suspicion it will be make a list of yours.), of books which our dear grandchildren should have, and then have their mother, our Eleanor, check which they already possess, for the five (Jeremy, to be sure, only seven months old) have a library of several hundred. When we visit them, there is never time to make a list for references, as I've proposed doing. And did I tell you that Eleanor - Eleanor Hull - has had her first book published and is working on the next? Tumbleweed Boy, first one; The Third Wish probably the next title. Again, congratulations! Sincerely, Florence Means ---------- 20thCCA_Means_14 ---------- Shuttered Windows Published by: Houghton Mifflin Co. Real Name: Florence Crannell Means Pen name: Florence Crannell Means What do your family and friends call you?: Flossy! and Fludel A. YOUR BACKGROUND Date of birth: May 15, 1891 Place of birth: Baldwinsville, N.Y Father's occupation: Minister Number of brothers: 0 and sisters: 1 Father's nationality: American Mother's nationality: American Kind of home during childhood (farm, small town, city apt, etc.): Small town, larger towns Corning, New York - Crystal City and Topeka, Kansas. Amount of schooling (high school, college, etc.): high school, college work by extension courses, summer courses Tutoring by father - then president Theological seminary Two years in art school. Economic status during childhood (poor, middle class, wealthy): middle Special interests as a child (sports, books, games, etc.): Books, dolls, drawing Childhood ambitions: Definitely to be (1) a writer, (2) an artist, (3) a missionary (4) a kindergarten teacher. When did you begin to write?: As soon as I could print Why?: Goodness knows. An irresistible force. Who encouraged you?: Father - Mother - and one artist aunt What and when was your first success or recognition?: Sold a love story to Will Carleton's magazine "Every Where," when I was fifteen. How did you happen to write for children? First because I had a child, and told her stories; second (I think) because my grandparent's pioneering demanded writing and seemed well suited to a children's book - Candle in the Mist. Went on from there. Anything else about your background which has a bearing on your writing. The general bookroominess of our family, and Father's fondness for reading aloud to us: Shakespeare, Browning, Tennyson - anything. Father's own writing - many articles, many poems, much exegesis, several books of essays and sermons. Also the gathering of people of every race, color, kind, creed, at the parsonage. Also, I think, the fact that the eldest of my father's sisters, Euretta Crannell, conducted first normal courses in Albany schools, died in harness, and was honored by "Crannell Free Kindergarten." ---------- 20thCCA_Means_15 ---------- B. THE WRITING OF THE BOOK Where did you get the idea for the book?: On the spot. Visiting the sea off the coast of South Carolina, to write two little paper-covered books of stories about little children in the Deep South. When? (Season as well as year): Autumn, 1935. (good thing I keep a diary) Were the characters real people, or based on real people?: Based on real people. Great-Grandmother's original was a majestic old woman whom I met on the amazing little island Hilton's Head, when one of the teacher's from Mather School and I were entertained at her "grand's" home. Others were pupils at Mather. Where were you living at the time?: Denver in winter, Palmer Lake in summer What was your major occupation?: Homemaking and writing. Names (also nicknames) and identities of members of your household at the time. (if children, give ages.): My father and mother, who had retired and built on an apartment so that we were under one roof but had separate homes; my husband, Carl (too many nicknames for him), and our daughter, Eleanor, through college and a graduate course in dine arts, writing a little herself (much more since), and serving as Counselor for a Camp Fire group in one of our schools in the underprivileged district, so that our house was a happy rendezvous for Spanish- American, Japanese and plain white girls. Did you talk the book over with any of them?: Plenty, always; this time my husband a bit discouraging, only because fearing repercussions for me. Did you discuss it with an editor?: Yes; Houghton thought it a very bad bet from a monetary standpoint. Wilma McFarland, editor of PORTAL, was enthusiastic. Where and how did you get the material? (library research, travel, personal experience, etc.): All three ways - four, counting the etcetera. Got everything I could find at the library. Had first been impelled to write something when we made our first motor trip to the Deep South, about 1934 made another trip and settled down on the campus at Mather, boarding school for girls. and another trip in 1936 When did you begin to write the book?: July 5, 1937 Where?: Palmer Lake, at our mountain cabin: in my spruce tree study, a circle of spruces on the hillside behind the cabin. How much had you had published when you began it? (Give names of books) Rafael and Consuelo (junior age, pub by Friendship Press), Children of the Great Spirit, ditto, Candle in the Mist, Ranch and Ring, Bowlful of Stars, Dusky Day, Singing Wood, Tangled Waters, Penny for Luck. What was your purpose in writing this book?: Purpose: to give happiness to the girls at Mather, who had asked me to write such a book and introduce white girls to Negro girls. How do you write? (typewriter, long-hand, dictate): Typewriter - hunt and peck. Where? (study, office, etc.): Study, in winter home, spruce tree study in summer. Do you keep regular office hours?: Yes. If so, what are they?: 9 to 12 then 9:30 to 12 now. Do you revise much?: Yes. Write easily or laboriously?: Easily, first writing joyfully rapid. Do you let your family or friends read your work, or try it out on children?: My family always read or hear my books first; then my writer friends (we have a colony of them in Denver); and when the setting is at all strange to me, I have the script carefully read by one or more people who are on the ground. ---------- 20thCCA_Means_16 ---------- Who makes your final copies? (yourself, private secretary, public typist, etc.): With few exceptions, I myself. Love to do it. Did you make an outline before writing the book?: Yes. Did you decide on the title first or last?: First if possible, last if necessary. How long did it take you to write the book?: First writing, first revision, about three months. Final revision another two. This title about midway of the writing- the shuttered windows of rural schools seemed to say so much: they let in bitter cold and rain in season; closed, they shut out the light. Did you work on it steadily?: Between second and final revision, a long interval, for reading in a Mather English class and by family and friends. Did it go fairly smoothly or did you hit rough spots? (Details of any particular difficulty and its solution would be appreciated.): No particular difficulty. At first I had a "mystery" angle, besides the mystery of Black Moses, which delighted me: family silver hidden in one of the high old tombs which I saw in the woods, during War-Between-States. As I went on, I became convinced that the story would be stronger without it. Cut it. Was your book accepted immediately by a publisher?: Yes; in spite of having tried to dissuade me from writing it. Houghton accepted it before completed. Was it immediately popular on publication?: I think it was. Anything else about your writing that might be of interest, especially anything that concerns this book.: See appended pages C. ILLUSTRATIONS How much did you have to do with the illustrations of your book?: Not a great deal. If it were Tangled Waters or Great Day, I'd have good stories for you. I had hoped a portrait - Reinold, I believe - who did magnificent pictures of the Island Negroes, could be secured. However, I like Armstrong Sperry's drawings, and they have seemed generally, though not invariably, acceptable to the Negro reader. How much experience had you had in illustrating?: you probably don't care about an answer to this; but I had great dreams of illustrating my own. Did illustrated early shorts; but soon found my technique (to be as kind to myself as possible) not at all equal to the demands of present-day publishers. However, I find me hard to satisfy; something like an automobile passenger who is able to drive and so is watchful and critical of the driver. ---------- 20thCCA_Means_17 ---------- D. WHAT SORT OF PERSON YOU ARE What did you look like when you wrote this book? Dark or fair?: Very "dark gittin' light! Burnet, graying Tall or short?: Tall Thin or plump?: Medium Color of eyes?: Dark brown Wore glasses?: yes, since seven years old Color of hair?: Black, graying (then) Kind of hair--long or short?: Short, then, no, half and half. Curly or straight?: Curly how did you wear it?: One side long, in braid across head. Any special features of you appearance (square jaw, dimples, stoop, etc.) Dear, dear: a nose that caused me as much suffering as Amy March's Are you quiet or talkative?: Talkative. Friendly or reserved?: Friendly/ My seven-year-old grandson sat on the edge of my bed last summer (migraine putting me down a great deal) and crooned fondly, "Nanny is always laughing." Are you quick-tempered or calm and placid?: Well, Sometimes I'm afraid it's plenty quick, but it stays inside - as "migraine people's" are likely to, I think What sort of clothes do you wear most when writing?: (sports, suits, slacks, etc.) House coats or slacks. Favorite occupations and hobbies?: WRITING; painting, motoring, getting acquainted with all kinds of people, just plain walking. What is your normal speech like?: (Meticulously correct, colloquial, slangy, abrupt, rambling, etc.) Pretty correct, but with plenty of contractions My daughter discourages my slang, which she says I use with enthusiasm but also with inaccuracy. If strongly religious, give denomination.: Baptist. Also a member of the Wider Quaker Fellowship, and head of the fellowship of the little Friends' Community Church at Palmer Lake. Any other details about yourself, no matter how trivial, which might help me to picture you in my own mind.: Darndarndarn! My most frequent right now, is our new home with its gorgeous mountain setting and our exuberant chant "Oooh, what a beautiful morning! Oh, what a beautiful day!" Can you direct me to any articles or books which have been written about you?: Siri Andrews wrote an article which was published by HORN BOOK early in 1946, and reprinted by Houghton for distribution on request. Junior Book of Authors may have some other angles; I forget. Who's Who has notes of course.
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Identifier: wwu:24107
Title: Milne - The complete tales of Winnie-the-Pooh
Date: 1947-06-12
Description: Two page letter from A. A. Milne to Elizabeth Rider Montgomery. Winnie the Pooh was published in 1926 by Dutton. This simple letter about the origins of Winnie the Pooh is postmarked from Crotchford Farm, Sussex, the setting of the Pooh stories.
Digital Collection: info:fedora/wwu:24050
Type of resource: Text
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: 20th century children's authors collection: writing about writing in letters and personal narratives
Local Identifier: 20thCCA_milne
Text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - Milne ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - A. A. Milne - The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Milne_01 ---------- Dear Miss Montgomery, The chronology of the autobiography is, of course, more accurate than that of any
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - Milne ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - A. A. Milne - The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Milne_01 ---------- Dea
Show more20th Century Children's Authors - Milne ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - A. A. Milne - The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Milne_01 ---------- Dear Miss Montgomery, The chronology of the autobiography is, of course, more accurate than that of any magazine story you may have read, and the ottoman incident happened after the publication of Pooh. The truth (if this even interests anybody) of the genesis of the stories is as follows: Owing I suppose to the success of When We Were Very Young, I was asked by an editor for a children's story. I wasn't keen to write one, but my wife suggested that I could use one of the stories I had told our child at bed-time. She had never heard these, or she wouldn't have suggested it. A bed time story for a child is merely an excuse for postponing sleep and these were just a progression from one conventional dragon or what-not to another, with intermittent warnings that the next one would have to ---------- 20thCCA_Milne_02 ---------- be the last. However, I did remember that among these flounders and absurd postponements of the final "Good-nights" Pooh and a balloon had once made a fairly rational appearance. So I turned this into the asked for story...and, when more were sought for other editions, kept Pooh, introduced the remaining animals, abandoned balloons, and became strictly realistic. Yours sincerely, A.A. Milne
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Identifier: wwu:29296
Title: 1857-11-02 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother and Charly
Date: 1857-11-02
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18571102
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18571102 [Page 1] Nevada 2nd November 1857 My Dearest Mother or Charly I have enough sense of my own to bear (of negligence in not writing regularly) without the additional ones caused by steamboat accidents. You have probably seen in the papers an account of the loss of t
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18571102 [Page 1] Nevada 2nd November 1857 My Dearest Mother or Charly I have enough sense of my own to bear (of negligence in not writing regularly) without the additional
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18571102 [Page 1] Nevada 2nd November 1857 My Dearest Mother or Charly I have enough sense of my own to bear (of negligence in not writing regularly) without the additional ones caused by steamboat accidents. You have probably seen in the papers an account of the loss of the steamer Central America and 400 passengers. That ill-fated vessel (the same on which I came from New York to Aspinwall) carried down among the other mail matter a long letter from me to Papa with a full account of my prospecting tour in the mountains. I am not quite, but almost, certain that it was sent by that mail – if not, you will have got it and then will be a recapitulation of the principal facts. On the 21st July, I started with 3 others, Judge Colburn and 2 practical miners, on foot, with 2 pack mules, my white one and another less valuable one, which we bought for the trip, on a prospecting tour, i.e., to look for gold, or rather accessible gold-bearing strata. We went up and crossed the summit of the Sierra Nevada in the same place as last year, went some distance down the other side of the ridge among the Indians in Utah, and not finding any likely ground then we recrossed the Sierra some miles to the south, following an Indian trail part of the way and leaving it at the summit where it was covered with snow. The passage of the summit was difficult, the snow being 15 to 20 feet deep in some places and the sides of the snowbanks were so precipitous that after cutting steps in it (like Charly and I in the mer de glace) we could not get our smaller mule over without unloading her and carrying the pack up [Page 2] on our own backs. We crossed several branches and came down along the Middle Fork of the American River. One night while camping on that river, our mules strayed. The next morning we followed them up and caught the company's one, but my Charly was lost. I tracked him for several miles and walked down the ridge 40 miles farther to the nearest town, but could find no further traces of him. He had a long lariat (rope) round his neck and he either got caught by that in some brush or got caught by the Indians. I did all in my power both then and since to find him but have not seen or heard of him from that day to this. So much for Charly. We found indications of gold-bearing strata at great heights in the mountains but not sufficiently denuded to be worked to advantage. Lower down near a place called Michigan Bluffs, we took up some claims and think they are likely to pay very well (if at all). We are 6 partners and we are running a tunnel into the hill to try it. We are now 100 feet in and we expect to have to run 200 feet more before striking the gravel bed. It is an expensive and tedious as well as uncertain process, but the indications are sufficiently good to induce several other companies to stake their all upon the die and to abide the [Lagard?] of "the Cast." I am not very sanguine myself but think the chances in my favour sufficient to make it worth the trying. I bought into 2 other sets of claims in the same neighbourhood but in both we are waiting and paying a small sum to an adjoining company for the benefit of their experience in their tunnel. This is of [Page 3] [page torn away] slower though much safer way of prospecting. Judge Colburn is working in our tunnel for himself and has hitherto also done my share of work for me (of course by being paid for it). As you will know from my later letters, I had settled here, as I thought, for the winter, but business of every kind is so completely stagnant being here already [illegible, torn] engineers and surveyors that I think of trying my luck elsewhere. As soon as I can raise the money to do it, I think of moving over to Michigan Bluffs. It is a thriving little town though just burnt down [is built?] up again, and I hope to be able to combine a little mining with my business and so get along at all events until I know the result of my "ventures." At all events it cannot be worse than this. Last week I had my first and only job – 3 days' work which would probably have to last me for some time. I think of riding over to the Bluffs tomorrow to "look round." It is 36 miles s.e. of here on the Middle Fork of the American River. On my return from my first trip, I found Emily ill in bed. She had a long spell of fever and was confined to her room for 2 months. As luck would have it, the only medical man whom we could have any confidence in killed himself accidentally while out shooting a few days before her illness and we were actually afraid to call in any of the numerous quacks whose whole pharmacopœia consists in calomel and quinine, both in very large doses and very much adulterated. Her sister, who has had a great deal of experience, nursed her through it and we now think she is better off than she would have been with such medical advice as we could have procured. She is still very weak and I am afraid she will not have very good health this [Page 4] winter. We have had a pretty hard time for the last [page torn away] and (being determined not to buy anything we could not pay for) we have been without any furniture of our own and often without knowing which way to turn for our next meal. We have, however, got through it so far and I hope it will soon be over. I have managed to get enough money to carry us along for a short time and hope to make enough to keep us after then; at all events I can only try my best and hope for success. As long as poverty was at a distance, Emily felt very badly about it but when it came to the pinch she acted her part like a "Briton." You would have been amused to see us living on cracked wheat and potatoes for more than a week sometimes without meat. If it does not come again, I shall not regret it as it certainly has taught us the value of money, though I do not think Emily at least required such a lesson. Thank Grandmama for the 200 frs. Keep them for me for the present. I may be glad of them some day. I suppose you are in the sunny south again and again separated from poor dear Charly. If so of course she will read this and forward it to you. We had a smart earthquake here a few weeks ago, the most violent I have felt [illegible] in the mountains. It shook our house so that my first impression from long living in Railway stations was "There's the Empress" and Emily, who was in bed in the next room, cried out to know what I had upset to shake the house so, thinking I had upset the wardrobe. We have now very pleasant weather, having had enough rain to lay most of the dust. Write to me to "Nevada" the same as hitherto until further direction. Emily has had all what little time she has been well enough to do anything so occupied that you must consider this as much from her as from me. Believe us, Dearest Mother, with best love to Papa, Charly, the Bairns, Grandmama, your affectionate children Marc and Emily
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Identifier: wwu:29295
Title: 1873-12-26 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his sister Charlotte
Date: 1873-12-26
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18731226
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18731226 [Page 1] Canal Headquarters 26 December 1873 My dearest Charlotte We just got your letter of the 16th November and are very glad to hear you are in better health than you were. We thought of you and drank your health yesterday and wish you and yours a very happy N
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18731226 [Page 1] Canal Headquarters 26 December 1873 My dearest Charlotte We just got your letter of the 16th November and are very glad to hear you are in better health th
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18731226 [Page 1] Canal Headquarters 26 December 1873 My dearest Charlotte We just got your letter of the 16th November and are very glad to hear you are in better health than you were. We thought of you and drank your health yesterday and wish you and yours a very happy New Year as well as many returning happy Birthdays. We [missing] your pictures some time ago [and] thought them very good. We [missing] here together and expect to [missing] for some months excepting [missing]. I intend to send [missing] after the holidays [missing] his teacher who [missing] his scholars to [missing] been enjoying his [missing] during the six [Page 2] here and has developed physically enough to make me glad of having kept him away from school so long. He has all the shooting, rowing, riding, and driving he wants. He is a fair shot and handy enough round a farm but is too timid naturally ever to become a good horseman. Emily has a very nice horse which she rides and drives, a perfect pet but full of life and spirit. Charly rode out with me this [morning] on him and got thrown [off but] I of course made him [missing] again. Emily [missing] had much practice [missing] takes to it very [missing] make a good [missing]. Three months [missing] run down [missing] and took a [missing] in San Francisco [missing] very much and [Page 3] at the end of the time rented our house furnished for the winter. Emily then went to Sonoma and spent a month at her mother's and came back here, I having run down to fetch her a fortnight ago. We are very comfortable and only hope that the discussions in the Company will not be the cause of my having to leave here now we are settled. Our winter has commenced a month earlier than usual and we have already had some rain and much mud, but I am pretty well used to it, and Emily can find plenty to occupy her and keep time from dragging when she has to stay indoors. Her health is good and so is that of the children in general, though Johnny is just recovering from a closing up and inflammation of the eyelids caused, [Page 4] I think, by a cold. I have been well since the warm weather and consequent malarious fever left me, a couple of months ago. Mabel and Johnny are both nice, engaging children. The former, a reqular Stangroom, is improving in look and manners every day and is now in our opinion an very nice looking and behaved little girl. Johnny is, as he always was, the beauty of the family and is very attractive. We often wish you and your family and father and mother would pull up stakes and move out here so we could be all together and although it might seem rather rough to you at first, I think it would in the long run be best for you all as long as you are not wedded to any old country tastes and prejudices sufficiently to prevent you from enjoying a new life. In a monetary point of view, you with your caution and my [rest of letter missing]
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Identifier: wwu:29293
Title: 1866-11-06 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother
Date: 1866-11-06
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18661106
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18661106 [Page 1] San Francisco Tuesday 6th November 1866 My Dear Mother I write these few lines in haste to tell you I have arrived safe, sound, and in good health and spirits. We had a pleasant voyage and arrived here on Sunday morning. I found Charly and the Colburns al
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18661106 [Page 1] San Francisco Tuesday 6th November 1866 My Dear Mother I write these few lines in haste to tell you I have arrived safe, sound, and in good health and spir
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18661106 [Page 1] San Francisco Tuesday 6th November 1866 My Dear Mother I write these few lines in haste to tell you I have arrived safe, sound, and in good health and spirits. We had a pleasant voyage and arrived here on Sunday morning. I found Charly and the Colburns all well and glad to see me back again. Louise was very much pleased with your presents and Charly also, as well as with Charlotte's. He and I have played at Spellicans every evening since I came. He has grown and is quite healthy and strong. On Monday morning I settled [Page 2] right down to work in the office and my employers were very cordial and appeared glad to see me. The work stopped last week, but I expect to commence it again in a week or two and am now making estimates to determine whether to go to work at the end of the first 20 miles near San José or at Sacramento. If we do the latter, I shall have to be at Sacramento most of the time for the next few months but should in that case be down here at least once a week. We have got rid of the troublesome Contractor on the works though there is a [Page 3] heavy lawsuit pending between him and us, which, when it comes to trial, will be very exciting and perhaps amusing. Colburn is not doing as well as he did for a year or two, having put everything he could take and scrape together into an invention of which I do not think he will ever derive any benefit, and I expect to have to help them a little for some time to come. I expect to have to go up to the Stockton tomorrow to be gone some days and will close with best love to Pa, Mat, and Lucy and to all at Geneva when you [Page 4] write to them. Tell Lucy I will write to her in my next when I have more time. Tell her to send her picture if she has not already done so and to write often. Believe me, my dear mother, your affectionate son, M. L. Stangroom
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Identifier: wwu:24104
Title: Lattimore - Little Pear
Date: 1947-12-02/1948-02-09, 1947-12-02-1948-02-09
Description: Four page questionnaire completed by Eleanor Frances Lattimore; Two letters to Elizabeth Rider Montgomery from Eleanor Frances Lattimore; Little Pear was published in 1931 by Harcourt, Brace and Co. The Eleanor Frances Lattimore Papers are housed in the de Grummond Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi.
Digital Collection: info:fedora/wwu:24050
Type of resource: Text
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: 20th century children's authors collection: writing about writing in letters and personal narratives
Local Identifier: 20thCCA_lattimore
Text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - Lattimore ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Eleanor Frances Lattimore - Little Pear ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Lattimore_01 ---------- 4116 Pomma Ave. Miami 33, Florida December 2, 1947 Dear Miss Montgomery, I am sorry to be so long in fillin
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - Lattimore ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Eleanor Frances Lattimore - Little Pear ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Lattimore_01 ---------- 4116 Po
Show more20th Century Children's Authors - Lattimore ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Eleanor Frances Lattimore - Little Pear ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Lattimore_01 ---------- 4116 Pomma Ave. Miami 33, Florida December 2, 1947 Dear Miss Montgomery, I am sorry to be so long in filling out this questionnaire for you. My husband has been seriously ill, and I've let most things slide until I knew he was getting better. I'm glad that you want to include "Little Pear" in your new book. That's my own favorite of my books, I suppose because it was the first one. Enclosed is a snapshot which I'd like returned, please. It was taken a few years after I wrote Little Pear, in the first summer of my marriage. My address after Dec. 15 will be Edisto Island, South Carolina. We have a home there, and are returning for a long rest. Very sincerely yours Eleanor Frances Lattimore Andrews ---------- 20thCCA_Lattimore_02 ---------- Mrs. Robert Armstrong Andrews Edisto Island, South Carolina February 9, 1948 Dear Miss Montgomery: I like your story about me very much. And I cannot think of any changes to suggest, beyond the few I've written on your manu- script. It must be interesting work, writing a book such as yours. You are including most of my favorite juvenile authors, so of course I'm glad to be in their company. With best wishes, Sincerely yours, Eleanor Lattimore Andrews P.S. My husband is very much better. Thank you! ---------- 20thCCA_Lattimore_03 ---------- Prompted by Pictures The job that made a job Little Pear Published by: Harcourt, Brace and Co Year: 1931 Mrs. Robert Armstrong Andrews Real Name: Eleanor Frances Lattimore Andrews Pen name: Eleanor Frances Lattimore What do your family and friends call you?: Eleanor She made a job for Herself. A. YOUR BACKGROUND Date of birth: June 30, 1904 Place of birth: Shanghai, China Father's occupation: Teacher Number of brothers: 2 and sisters: 2 Father's nationality: American Mother's nationality: American Kind of home during childhood (farm, small town, city apt, etc.): In a college compound Where: Shanghai, Paotingfu, later Tieutsin Amount of schooling (high school, college, etc.): Taught by parents Economic status during childhood (poor, middle class, wealthy): middle, I guess Special interests as a child (sports, books, games, etc.): Drawing, outdoor and indoor games. Went to seashore every summer, swimming, diving etc. Childhood ambitions: To be an artist, to go to America When did you begin to write?: Professionally, in 1929 Why?: In order to earn a living, and to market my drawings Who encouraged you?: Elizabeth B. Hamilton, then Juvenile Editor at Harcourt Brace What and when was your first success or recognition?: When "Little Pear," my first book, was published in 1931 How did you happen to write for children? Because I like children, and have drawn children ever since I can remember. Anything else about your background which has a bearing on your writing. My family lived in Europe (Switzerland, Germany, England.) in 1913 ΓÇô 1915. Years later in 1932 I went to Europe again. I've put some things from various times in my life in to my books. My family life was harmonious and happy, and even now that we are all married and scattered, my brothers and sisters and I keeps in close touch with our parents who are living in Washington, D.C. (their old home.) ---------- 20thCCA_Lattimore_04 ---------- B. THE WRITING OF THIS BOOK Where did you get the idea for the book?: It was suggested that I write a "real" story about an everyday Chinese child, to match drawings I had in my portfolio. It was the suggestion of Mrs. Hamilton When? (Season as well as year): Winter, I think - 1928- 29 Were the characters real people, or based on real people?: They were imaginary, based on village children such as I'd seen during my childhood in China. Where were you living at the time?: In New York City What was your major occupation?: Free-lancing as an artist Names (also nicknames) and identities of members of your household at the time. (if children, give ages.): I was living in a small apartment with another girl who wrote articles for decorating magazines. My family home was in Hanover, N.H., my father being Professor of Chinese History at Dartmouth at that time. Did you talk the book over with any of them?: No. Did you discuss it with an editor?: The idea in general, not the story Where and how did you get the material? (library research, travel, personal experience, etc.): Personal recollections for background material. The incidents were all imaginary. When did you begin to write the book?: In Dec. or Jan., 1928-1929 Where?: I wrote the first draft at The Studio Club, New York- and finished it at apartment mentioned above. How much had you had published when you began it? (Give names of books) This (Little Pear) was my first book. Since then, I've written 15 more What was your purpose in writing this book?: To see if I could do it, and to have a book to illustrate. How do you write? (typewriter, long-hand, dictate): Longhand and on the typewriter Where? (study, office, etc.): At home, anywhere Do you keep regular office hours? If so, what are they?: I work at night usually Do you revise much?: Sometimes Write easily or laboriously?: Sometimes it's easy, sometimes not. Do you let your family or friends read your work, or try it out on children?: Not till a story is finished ---------- 20thCCA_Lattimore_05 ---------- Who makes your final copies? (yourself, private secretary, public typist, etc.): I make my own final copies now. Did you make an outline before writing the book?: Chapter titles only Did you decide on the title first or last?: Last How long did it take you to write the book?: One week (first copy.) I added two chapters later. Did you work on it steadily?: Quite steadily Did it go fairly smoothly or did you hit rough spots? (Details of any particular difficulty and its solution would be appreciated.) I wrote too quickly and did not put in enough description. Since the first book, I've written more slowly, and generally work out a plot first. Was your book accepted immediately by a publisher?: Yes Anything else about your writing that might be of interest, especially anything that concerns this book. Since I wrote Little Pear I've married and had two children, and this accounts for my working at night, if I'm doing a book. Keeping house takes care of all the daytime hours. C. ILLUSTRATIONS How much did you have to do with the illustrations of your book?: I made them all (105 of them) If you did them yourself, which came first, the pictures or the text?: I made a few "sample" dreawings, submitted with the manuscript. What medium did you work in?: India ink and brush How much experience had you had in illustrating?: I had drawn all my life, and as a child illustrated stories I wrote myself. ---------- 20thCCA_Lattimore_06 ---------- D. WHAT SORT OF PERSON YOU ARE What did you look like when you wrote this book? Dark or fair?: Medium Tall or short?: Tall, 5 ft. 5 in. Thin or plump?: Thin Color of eyes?: blue Wore glasses?: When I work Color of hair?: light brown Kind of hair--long or short?: short and wavy Curly or straight?: Curly how did you wear it?: I can't remember! Any special features of you appearance (square jaw, dimples, stoop, etc.) Oval face, slightly turned up nose, one cheek dimple Are you quiet or talkative?: Rather quiet Friendly or reserved?: Friendly Do you laugh a great deal or are you usually grave?: Sometimes I laugh, usually fiarly quiet Are you quick-tempered or calm and placid?: Not quick tempered, but on the high-strung side. What sort of clothes do you wear most when writing?: (sports, suits, slacks, etc.) Just a housedress, or a sweater and skirt Favorite occupations and hobblies?: Gardening, pets, travel, etc. What is your normal speech like?: (Meticulously correct, colloquial, slangy, abrupt, rambling, etc.) Much too rapid What are some of your pet expresssions and exclamations?: I don't think I have any. If strongly religious, give denomination.: Not strongly religious Any other details aobut yourself, no matter how trivial, which might help me to picture you in my own mind.: Very happy with my husband, and with my two sons, Peter and Michael, now nine and eleven years old. Can you direct me to any articles or books which have been written about you?: I believe I'm included in several anthologies, such as "Junior Book of Authors."
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Identifier: wwu:29291
Title: 1855-10-03 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his brother Charly
Date: 1855-10-03
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18551003
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18551003 [Page 1] Nevada, 3rd October 1855 My dearest Charly, Vive la Californie! And the Californians! to which title I consider I have full claim, as you would think if you saw me in my working costume. I had the high compliment paid me that one hour completed the transf
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18551003 [Page 1] Nevada, 3rd October 1855 My dearest Charly, Vive la Californie! And the Californians! to which title I consider I have full claim, as you would think if yo
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18551003 [Page 1] Nevada, 3rd October 1855 My dearest Charly, Vive la Californie! And the Californians! to which title I consider I have full claim, as you would think if you saw me in my working costume. I had the high compliment paid me that one hour completed the transformation thoroughly, which consists in looking as rough and dirty as possible. A fortnight ago we made a 3-day excursion into the mountains to look at the country we have to go through. We were 13, all on horseback, and formed a merry cavalcade galloping for 30 miles up and down hill all the way, through forests of most beautiful large trees. We had a good look at the country, and it is well worth it. Although there are no such high mountains, the detail of the scenery is as grand or more so than the Swiss scenery. All the country is cut up by rivers, each running in steep, rocky ravines from 1000 to 2000 feet deep. All the hills are wooded with tremendous pine and cedar trees from 100 to 300 feet high and the ravines are steep, rocky, slippery, and all together most uncomfortable places to stroll about on. The sun is very hot, but up in the mountains 3000 feet above the sea there is plenty of air so as to make it very pleasant, and the nights are very cool and beautiful. We came back to Nevada for [Page 2] a few days, and I then started back again with Darcy to commence surveying the Line. We stayed up there, 30 miles off, for a week and had tough work of it, having almost to hang on by our eyelids in some places, and often to climb up 800 or 900 feet to get round impassible points. The climbing was hard work for the wind at first, but I am already getting used to it and shall probably soon be able to do it without much fatigue. We slept at a ranch or farm in a place called Bear Valley, having to sleep in our own blankets and live on salt pork, which diet had the advantage of making us appreciate the fine water of the country (especially when we could not get any). As having to walk or climb 6 or 7 miles before and after our day's work, although very fine exercise, is no variety, as we are doing it all day, and as we do not consider salt pork and hard boards a sufficient inducement for such exercise, we are going henceforth to camp out and start tomorrow with our own gridirons and turn in to our blankets under the canopy of the heavens, wherever we happen to be at sunset. We rode down here yesterday for the mail and go up again tomorrow. We all have horses coming up from San Francisco. I have left Lane to buy mine, as he is a good judge of horse flesh. Hitherto we have hired them, and I have had the good luck to have mine go down with me 3 times already, once while going very fast. I ploughed the [illegible] soil or rock with my jackboots, but taking William the Conqueror as a precedent (as I was not hurt), I could but consider it as a good omen, and a fashionable way of taking possession. Coming down yesterday I was on a brute that commenced the day's work by going down on his knees and, seeming to like it, went stumbling about every 2 minutes. After about [Page 3] 20 miles I began to get tired of holding him up, so I thought I would let him have his own way for once. The first time he stumbled I let him go on his head and stuck in the saddle. It took him some time to get the dirt out of his nose, and after that, finding that I would not hold him up any longer he thought he had better do it himself. We got on better afterwards. We have taken a house together here for when we come down and in the fullness of our hearts thought that was sufficient, but when we got home last night, tired and dirty, I had to go with 2 pails to draw water from a well 200 or 300 yards off and after supper to lay my blankets on the floor and lay, like a warrior taking his rest, with my martial blanket around me. I had no idea how soft the floor [was] before. [I?] by leave to observe that our "maison de ville”" is to be furnished, but that part of the arrangement, excepting some chairs and a table, is looming in the future. Up in the mountains we have plenty of game and killed 3 rattlesnakes already. We have seen fresh bear tracks every day but have not yet seen any, though we hope to do so before long. The 2nd night, one came down into our valley and sent the mules and cattle running about our cabin like fun. As it was dark, we thought we were very comfortable inside and left him to his sport outside. Man is a creature of habit! Hem! For the first day or two, I was continually looking out for snakes and other unpleasant things, but I have already become quite indifferent to them and shall probably soon delight in them. In the morning, it seems as natural to put on my revolver as my boots, and it has the advantage of being cleaned periodically, which the latter have not. On Monday night, we left off at sunset and [Page 4] took a short (!) cut across hill and dale to get back to our hospitable roof. It soon got dark and we got into a dry ditch that we knew to run in the right direction. After 1 or 2 miles, however, we found the ditch changed into a wet one, and as it was too dark to be able to walk on the steep ravine on either side of it, we had to go along in water over our boots for more than a mile. We got in after a hard tramp of 6 miles, and, as our traveling luggage consisted of a comb and toothbrush, a luxurious Britisher might think it barely possible under the circumstances that we might catch cold. We rose superior to the circumstances, kept our wet things on – and didn't. This country is a fine school for a proud man and is indeed a land of equality. You shake hands with almost every man you meet and eat and live with your men who are even dirtier than yourselves, though many of them are tolerably well educated men. Tell Papa that from what I have seen this concern is likely to be a very profitable one, but everything is not yet quite square, as another company have commenced works on our ground and are in possession of our rights. I, however, think that they will soon be disposed of and if so satisfactorily, I shall take some more shares. I will let him know as soon as everything is safely settled. I have got no letters yet. I heard of one, I suppose from Wm. Nicholson, that has got lost between New York and here. I am looking forward to getting some with great anxiety. Be sure and write often and tell me all you are doing, how Mat is, and anything you can think of to fill a sheet. With lots of love to Papa, Mama, Grandmama when you write to her, Mat and Lucy. Believe me, Dearest Charly, Your ever affectionate brother, M. L. Stangroom
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Identifier: wwu:24105
Title: Lenski - Little Auto
Date: 1947-11-12/1948-01-01, 1947-11-12-1949-01-01
Description: Four page questionnaire completed by Lois Lenski; Two letters to Elizabeth Rider Montgomery from Lois Lenski; One postcard to Elizabeth Rider Montgomery from Lois Lenski. Little Auto was published in 1934 by Oxford University Press. The book was considered to be innovative because at that time authors did not write about ordinary things like automobiles in children's literature.
Digital Collection: info:fedora/wwu:24050
Type of resource: Text
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: 20th century children's authors collection: writing about writing in letters and personal narratives
Local Identifier: 20thCCA_lenski
Text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - Lenski ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Lois Lenski - Little Auto ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_01 ---------- Little Auto Published by: Oxford University Press Year: 1934 Real Name: Lois Lenski Covey Mrs. Arthur Covey Pen Name: Lois Lens
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - Lenski ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Lois Lenski - Little Auto ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_01 ---------- Little Auto Published by: O
Show more20th Century Children's Authors - Lenski ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Lois Lenski - Little Auto ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_01 ---------- Little Auto Published by: Oxford University Press Year: 1934 Real Name: Lois Lenski Covey Mrs. Arthur Covey Pen Name: Lois Lenski (maiden name) What do you fmaily and friends call you?: Lois A. YOUR BACKGROUND Date of birth: Oct. 14 1893 Place of birth: Springfield Ohio Father's occupation: Clergyman Number of Brothers: 2 and sisters: 2 Father's nationality: American Mother's nationality: American Kind of home during childhood (farm, small town, city apt. etc): Small town Where: Anna, Ohio Amount of schooling (high school, college, etc.): Sidney O. Highschool-grad-1911 Ohio State univ. B.S. in Ed 1915 Art Students League N.Y. Westminster School of Art, London Economic status during chldhood (poor, midle class, wealthy): "Poor preacher" Father had $700 a yr. salary and sent us all five to college Special interests as a child (sports, books, games, etc.): Usual small-town games and sports. We always had books for Christmas; "Youth's Companion." Childhood ambitions: to sew; to draw; to teach; to write. When did you begin to write?: In 1926 when I wrote my first book: SKIPPING VILLAGE pubd in 1927 Why?: To accompany a set of pictures I had drawn reminiscent of my childhood. Who encouraged you?: Helen Dean Fish, then Children's Editor of Frederick A. Stokes Co. to whom I showed the drawings. What and when was your first success or recognition?: From 1922-1927 I had illustrated a number of books for other publishers. How did you happen to write for children?: All my work has always been for children. I have never had any desire or inclination to work for adults. Anything else about your background which has a bearing on your writing.: My urge to draw in childhood took the form of copying other pictures, often cover designs of magazines; I once got a 3.00 prize for copys of a cover on the "Women's Home Companion." A fresco artist, decorating the interior of the "new church" which my father built, while staying in our home, suggested that I be given a real box of Windsor Newton water colors. My father sent away for them, and it was a big thrill when they came - 20 different colors instead of only three! I had no instruction in drawing or painting until after I went to college. There I took all the art I could get. ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_02 ---------- B. THE WRITING OF THE BOOK first book, pub'd 1934, 13th printing 1944- Where did you get the idea for the book?: From my son, Stephen, age 4, and his playmates. When playing with wagon, tricycle or kiddie car, it was always an imaginary automobile - they were always pumping up tires, getting stuck in mud, etc. Playing "auto" seemed to be a major interest of the modern small boy, so why not put it in a book? When? (Season as well as year): Year before publication-1933- Were the characters real people, or based on real people?: I made Mr. Small the size of proportions of 4 yr. old Stephen; to be not a man, but a little boy pretending to be a man, and doing the things a man does to an automobile. Where were you living at the time?: At my present home "Greenacres," in Torrington Conn. What was your major occupation?: Author-artist; also housewife taking care of my family. Names (also nicknames) and identities of members of your household at the time. (if children, give ages.): My husdand, Arthur Covey, mural painter, with his studio also on the place - my step-daughter, Margaret, and step-son Laird, were away in school at the time. Did you talk the book over with any of them?: I worked it out with Stephen himself - to his whole-hearted approval. Did you discuss it with an editor?: Yes-Grace hogarth (former editor at Oxford) told me years later, she considered the little book very revolutionary at the time, and herself very daring to accept it, She says it was "ahead of its time, because authors did not write about ordinary things like automobiles in children's stories then. When did you begin to write the book?: Drawings and text were done together in a small dummy - which was tried out on groups of children - few changes being made, because it satisfied them. How much had you had published when you began it? (Give names of books) 15 books written and illustrated; others by other artists; illustrated. Can give a list if necessary. (see over) What was your purpose in writing this book?: To get away from the over-worked idea of personalizing" a vehicle and making it think and talk. To show what the man does to make a vehicle go - which is the small child's first and lasting interest. A child in his play never personalizes a vehicle. He plays he is the man who makes it go. How do you write? (typewriter, long-hand, dictate): Long stories for children are written first in long-hand, then revised and typed once or twice. Picture books have trial hand-painted text in dummy. Often corrected and altered many times. Later a typed copy is sent to pub'r. Where? (study, office, etc.): I have a studio - a separate building a stones throw away from our home. Do you keep regular office hours?: Yes. If so, what are they?: From 9 to 5 ususally. Do you revise much?: One or two revisions on older books. Write easily or laboriously?: I work harder over my writing than over my drawing. Do you let your family or friends read your work, or try it out on children?: I try my stories out on children (of age for whom book is intended) myself. I have them read and checked by technical experts, if the subject covers something that is new to me. ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_03 ---------- Books written and pub'd prior to 1934: Skipping Village 1927 Jack Horner's Pie (nursery rhymes, illustrated) 1927 Alphabet People 1928 A Little Girl of 1900, 1928 The Wonder City 1929 Two Brother's and their Animal Friends 1929 " " " " Baby Sister 1930 Spinach Bay 1930 Benny and His Penny 1931 Grandmother Tippytoe 1931 Arabella and Her Aunts 1932 Johnny Goes to the Fair 1932 The Little Family 1932 Gooseberry Garden 1934 The Little Auto 1934 "Mr. Small" books: The Little Auto "Mr." Small The Little Sail Boat "Capt." " The Little Airplane "Pilot" " The Little Train "Engineer" " The Little Farm "Farmer" " The Little Fire Engine "Fireman" " ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_04 ---------- Who makes your final copies? (yourself, private secretary, public typist, etc.): I make all copies. Did you make an outline before writing the book?: For my older books, yes. Did you decide on the title first or last?: Whenever it happens to suggest itself, either first or last- Was it immediately popular on publication?: It had a resonably good sale the first year; the demand for it (and the other Mr. Small books) has steadily increased. C. ILLUSTRATIONS How much did you have to do with the illustrations of your book?: I made them all first. The text was written to accompany the pictures. If you did them yourself, which came first, the pictures or the text? Pictures first usually - then a text to go with them. What medium did you work in?: Wash drawings in tones of gray and black, with one flat color printing. This method to make the book as inexpensive as possible. How much experience had you had in illustrating?: 12 years of illustrating experience, sometime more that 1 book per yr. ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_05 ---------- D. WHAT SORT OF PERSON YOU ARE What did you look like when you wrote this book? Dark or Fair? Much as I do now except my hair is whiter. Tall or short?: tall Thin or plump?: medium Color of eyes?: blue Wor glasses?: None in 1934. Reading glasses now for reading, and close work. Color of hair?: blond - now gray Kind of hair--long or short?: Bun on neck then- now a short bob. Curly or straight?: curly Favorite occupations and hobbies?: formerly gardening - now given up becuase of poor health. Can you direct me to any articles or books which have been written about you?: Junior Book of Authors - Wilson Co - and other biographical books Horn Book July 1946 ARticle by Maud Hart Lovelace Pulishers Weekly June 22, 1946 " " R.W. G. Vail Library Journal July 1946 " " Helen Dean Fish Chapter IV in "Bequest of Wings" by Annis Duff - Viking Press 1944 ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_06 ---------- LOIS LENSKI GREENACRES R. F. D. No. 2 TORRINGTON, CONN. Nov. 12, 1947 Elizabeth Rider Montgomery 3209 Alki Ave. Seattle 6, Washington Dear Miss Montgomery: Your letter and questionnaire came the other day, and I am much interested in your proposed book. It should be a labor of love to compile it - I must say I really envy you! Children seem to be so interested in the authors behind their books, and so many schools do "author projects." For these reasons, I feel sure that such a book will fill a real need and become very popular. I have filled out your questionnaire as well as I could in the limited space at my disposal. Of course, the methods used in my picture books are different from my older books where thwere is more of a story; and a good many of your questions apply to the latter type of book rather than to a picture book. However, I have done the best I can. The articles which were published about me and my work last year in connection with the Newbery medal for STRAWBERRY GIRL (and which I have listed for you) will give you a pretty good idea of the personal side. In addition, I am sending you a clip- ping from a Hartford paper, which gives some idea of the way I combine professional work and domestic. I am also enclosing an outline which I made out for the use of Mrs. Lovelace for the background of her HORN BOOK article. This has an elaboration of the facts behind the evolution of the "Mr. Small" books, which will interest you; the rest about my historical and regional books for older children you may disregard, but I would like to keep it all together. These two items I must ask you to return as soon as you have finished with them. The folders you may keep. I am sure you could get the use of some of the Mr. Small "cuts" from Oxford, if your article is to be illustrated. I have, for a long time, wished to do a complete story about "Mr. Small" whom Frederick Melcher has nicknamed "That Famous American," or have wished that Eunice Blake of the Oxford Press would do it. There is a whole anthology of stories about Mr. Small and his devoted fans that needs to be written. Since the war, the books are going into foreign countries, too - The Scandinavian, Spanish, and other languages. Before the war, they were in English, South African and Arabic editions. So little Mr. Small is riding all over the world! With best wishes for the success of your book, and do let me know if I can help further in any way. Sincerely, Lois Lenski ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_07 ---------- Winter address: Dunedin, Fla- box 507 Home address: Greenacres RFD2 Torrington, Conn- Jan. 17, 1948 Dear Miss Montgomery; Your letter of Jan. 7th was forwarded from my home in Conn. to me here, where i am spending the winter months. i had to leave my typewriter behind in the snow drifts, so hope you can bear with my handwriting. I like your story of "The Big Mr. Small" very much. Strangely, you describe it almost exactly as it did happen - the inception of the idea. Actually I was in the living room, and Stephen and his friends were in the yard just outside the door, playing "auto". One thing you've missed - my vexation, for I said to myself: "Goodness: Don't they ever play anything else? Girls play dozens of games, but boys only one - auto, auto, auto, all the time!" The fact that their play was so "incessant" made me conclude: "since they never play anything else, this must be a major interest of the modern small boy. So why not put it into a book?" (Incidentally also, I noticed that they never personalized their cars or vehicles- that is entirely an adult fancy.) Another point I wish you could make is regarding "the secret of his popularity." Various people have tried to account for it, but have missed the point entirely. Could you add this; (or rewrite in you own words) "Due to the fact that Mr. Small is a boy dressed like a man, the child reader can more easily identify himself with the hero. The immediate reaction of every small boy is a desire to be Mr. Small, and to do the thing he does. I have marked a few other small changes in your text. I like your outline and choice of books. I shall want a number of copies of your book, when it is ready, to distribute amoung individual children schools and libraries - I am sure it will be delightful. When you type "The Big Mr. Small" in its final form, would it be asking too much to type a copy for me to keep in my Mr. Small file? Thanks ever so much! All good wishes for the success of the new book- Sincerely, Lois Lenski Thanks for returning outline and clippings. I am a little sorry it couldn't have been "Strawberry Girl" as I feel my regional books will be my most permanent. ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_08 ---------- I like your outline and choice of books. I shall want a number of copies of your book, when it is ready, to distribute amoung individual children schools and libraries - I am sure it will be delightful. When you type "The Big Mr. Small" in its final form, would it be asking too much to type a copy for me to keep in my Mr. Small file? Thanks ever so much! All good wishes for the success of the new book- Sincerely, Lois Lenski Thanks for returning outline and clippings. I am a little sorry it couldn't have been "Strawberry Girl" as I feel my regional books will be my most permanent. ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_09 ---------- Lois Lenski R.F.D. No. 2, Torrington, Conn. Dear friend: I have been seeing some nice reviews of your book. It should fill a much needed place in schools and libraries. Are the pub- lishers not sending complimentary copies to the contributors? I am anxious to see a copy; hope to buy others to present to schools that cannoy buy it - with best wishes for the book's success - Sincerely, Lois Lenski ---------- 20thCCA_Lenski_10 ---------- Elizabeth R. Montgomery 4801 Beach Drive, Seattle, 6, Wash.
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Identifier: wwu:24109
Title: Stong - Honk the Moose
Date: 1948-01-12
Description: Letter from Phil Stong to Elizabeth Rider Montgomery and a four page questionnaire completed by Phil Stong. Honk the moose was published in 1935 by Dodd, Mead.
Digital Collection: info:fedora/wwu:24050
Type of resource: Text
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: 20th century children's authors collection: writing about writing in letters and personal narratives
Local Identifier: 20thCCA_stong
Text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - strong ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Phil Strong - Honk the Moose ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_strong_01 ---------- Washington, Conn., Jan. 12, 1948 Dear Miss Montgomery: I think this is a very good little sketch. I have made two or three v
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - strong ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Phil Strong - Honk the Moose ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_strong_01 ---------- Washington, Conn., Jan.
Show more20th Century Children's Authors - strong ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Phil Strong - Honk the Moose ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_strong_01 ---------- Washington, Conn., Jan. 12, 1948 Dear Miss Montgomery: I think this is a very good little sketch. I have made two or three very minor corrections, "Biwabik, Minn." rather than Iowa. I must have slipped on the debate thing - I coached debate for four years in high school and college but not in this school Thanks very much for thinking of me and the best of luck for your book. It sounds like an excellent idea, especially for schools and libraries. Sincerely, Phil Stong There might be an amusing line in the fact that I started this story about a place where it often gets to be 40 below sitting in front of two open port- holes with the electric fan going. When we reached New York there was a foot or so of snow on the ground. ---------- 20thCCA_strong_02 ---------- Honk the Moose Published by: Dodd, Mead and Co. Year: 1935 Real name: Philip Duffield Stong Pen name: Phil Stong What do your family and friends call you?: Phil, to my face. A. YOUR BACKGROUND Date of birth: Jan. 27, 1899 Place of birth: Keosauqua, Iowa Father's occupation: Merchant Number of brothers: 2 and sisters: Father's nationality: American Mother's nationality: Same - both families Came to the country before 1750 Kind of home during childhood (farm, small town, city apt, etc.): Farm and small town Where: Keosauqua, Iowa. Amount of schooling (high school, college, etc.): A.B. (Litt. D., LL.D.) Economic status during childhood (poor, middle class, wealthy): M.C. Special interests as a child (sports, books, games, etc.): Reading, music, varied athletics - football, wrestling, boxing, swimming. Childhood ambitions: Writing. (Lapses to radio, medicine, law, etc.) When did you begin to write?: As soon as I had enough penmanship. Why?: Born liar - writing was the only way to get away with it. Who encouraged you?: Various people - principally my English Professor in College, Lewis Worthington Smith of Drake University. What and when was your first success or recognition?: State Fair - 1932 How did you happen to write for children?: The editors at Doubleday and Co., thought that a farm juvenile was indicated by State Fair. "Farm Boy" was Junior Guild. Since then I've done about a dozen. Anything else about your background which has a bearing on your writing.: Iowa was somewhat self-conscious in my childhood. Garland and Hough and Hughes had had almost our first national recognition. My uncle, E. R. Harlan, for many years Curator of the Iowa State Historical Museum, knew all three. A distant relative, Mrs. Julia Baldwin, of Keosauqua had had a best-seller. My mother, also, thought that an author was a shade higher than a President. No was out of the trap even if I had wanted out. ---------- 20thCCA_strong_03 ---------- B. THE WRITING OF THE BOOK Where did you get the idea for the book?: In 1920 in a hotel in Ely, Minn., where I had gone to play football with the Biwabik town team. Before lunch some chap told me a fascinating story about a town moose, which lingered with me for fifteen years. When? (Season as well as year): About November. It was cold enough, I know, to run even a moose into the stable. (Ely son, 23-13, or something like that). Were the characters real people, or based on real people?: Characteristics derived from various people, of course. I was teaching in Biwabik and it was easy to make alloys. Where were you living at the time?: Iron Range of Minnesota when I heard the story - boat in the Caribbean and apartment in NYC when I wrote it. What was your major occupation?: Writing. Previously I had been on the old New York World and many other publications as writer and editor. Names (also nicknames) and identities of members of your household at at the time. (if children, give ages.): No children - wife frequently referred to as V-A. Name is Virginia. Did you talk the book over with any of them?: Told planned story to wife and editor at Dodd and had some helpful suggestions. Did you discuss it with an editor?: Covered above. Where and how did you get the material? (library research, travel, personal experience, etc.): Covered above. When did you begin to write the book?: On a little holiday in the Caribbean that year. Where?: Covered above. The thing took about three weeks and I did a major part during a rough winter trip on the way back to NY. when our friends were ill. How much had you had published when you began it? (Give names of books) "State Fair", "Farm Boy", "Stranger's Return", "Village Tale", "Week End", "Career". Worked on the movies of the novels. What was your purpose in writing this book?: Amuse some of the younger citizens and keep myself in business. How do you write? (typewriter, long-hand, dictate): Type. Where? (study, office, etc.): Study. Do you keep regular office hours? If so, what are they? No. Work most days, at least a little. Because of A.M. nwsp, background work most late at night. Do you revise much?: Very little Write easily or laboriously?: Which day? Sometimes it runs easily; sometimes not. I've done 3900 in a day and 500 in a week. Do you let your family or friends read your work, or try it out on children?: My wife. She's a parsimonious but careful novelist ("The Dollar Gold-Piece", "The Hollow Skin", etc.) and also a first-rate English and Latin scolar. (Taught Latin in a West Point coaching school). In general I would consider it a poor idea, but with her special training she is very helpful. ---------- 20thCCA_strong_04 ---------- Who makes your final copies? (yourself, private secretary, public typist, etc.): My agent's typing bureau Did you make an outline before writing the book?: No. Why would one on a simple tale? On some novels I schedule general movements on a leaf of note paper. Did you decide on the title first or last?: After the story was planned but before writing How long did it take you to write the book?: 3-4 weeks Did you work on it steadily?: Interrupted between the tour and resettlement in America. Ordinarily I would have worked steadily. Stories nag at one. Did it go fairly smoothly or did you hit rough spots? (Details of any particular difficulty and its solution would be appreciated.) In as short a story as this one is not likely to hit difficulties. In the adult novels I have often had trouble because the characters would not act the for the best in- terests of the plot. Once they establish themselves they may or may not try to fit in to the narrative structure. This calls for arbitration, of course. Was your book accepted immediately by a publisher?: "State Fair" accepted third time out. Since then, all books contracted in advance. Was it immediately popular on publication?: Very good advance. Anything else about your writing that might be of interest, especially anything that concerns this book.: As you can see, though this was only my second juvenile, I had a fairly good background of general writing - a few novels, a good deal of periodical material, long experience with newspapers, magazines, syndicates - even advertising and movies. This predicates a certain fluency - given a good story, such as the one I heard up on the Iron Range, one is fairly certain to get a mildly successful book. C. ILLUSTRATIONS How much did you have to do with the illustrations of your book?: Kurt Wiese, the illustrator, and I are collaborators, rather than author and artist. I "X'ed" passages in this that seemed good picture stuff. I've never done so since - Kurt and i understand each other completely. Kurt needs no X-ing. Kurt is completely confident that he will get situations for his styles and I am blissfully certain that he will find them without any bother from me. ---------- 20thCCA_strong_05 ---------- D. WHAT SORT OF PERSON YOU ARE What did you look like when you wrote this book? Dark or Fair?: Toward fair Tall or short?: 6'1" That was tall. Thin or plump?: 182-5 - medium Color of eyes?: Hazel to gray Wore glasses?: Not then, by ten years. Color of hair?: Mouse brown Kind of hair--- long or short?: Ordinary Curly or straight?: Two waves How did you wear it?: Left side part. Any special features of your appearance (square jaw, dimples, stoop, etc.): Nose not quite pug; not quite roundish face, full at chin. Are you quiet or talkative?: Yes and no Friendly or reserved?: F. when possible Do you laugh a great deal or are you usually grave?: Amused, ordinarily. Are you quick-tempered or calm and placid?: Medium. What sort of clothes do you wear most when writing?: (sports, suits slacks, etc.) Pajamas, slacks. Writing is hard work. Favorite occupations and hobbies?: Writing, reading, music, small dogs - not to small - phonograph (about 2500 records) - microscope, almost anything. What is your normal speech like?: (Meticulously correct, colloquial, slangy, abrupt, rambling, etc.) Midwest - correctly colloquial, if possible. What are some of your pet expressions and exclamations?: Do you want the Postal Department to intercept this? I had a rugged youth. But I don't go in much for exclamations except in great stress. If strongly religious, give denomination.: Agnostic. Any other details about yourself, no matter how trivial, which might help me to picture you in my own mind. Disorderly gent - unutterably lazy and impolite about everything that doesn't interest me - not directly impolite but engaged elsewhere - so sorry. Pathologically curious about things in abstract but only occasionally in person; i.e.; I know a bit about hieroglyph- ics but today, after three days, I learned that a neighbor had gone crazy. Selfish, per se, but not about people and things that engage me. Can you direct me to any articles or books which have been written about you?: Chiefly small periodical bits, or brief references. Homer Croy mentions me in "Corn Country". There have been a few things but they're of no particular importance. If you have a photograph or snapshot of yourself of about the vintage of your book, I would appreciate it. Of course i would return it Promptly. I don't have a thing. Georges Schreiber did a caricature of me about then but I don't have a copy of it. Perhaps one of the local newspaper morgues. Phil Stong
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Identifier: wwu:29280
Title: 1857-12-15 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother
Date: 1857-12-15
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18571215
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18571215 [Page 1] Henceforth address to me at Michigan Bluffs 15th December 1857 Placer County U.S. Cal. My Dearest Mother From the superscription of this sheet you will gather that [illegible] some of the nomadic habits of my family and that we are all of us literally wan
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18571215 [Page 1] Henceforth address to me at Michigan Bluffs 15th December 1857 Placer County U.S. Cal. My Dearest Mother From the superscription of this sheet you will gat
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18571215 [Page 1] Henceforth address to me at Michigan Bluffs 15th December 1857 Placer County U.S. Cal. My Dearest Mother From the superscription of this sheet you will gather that [illegible] some of the nomadic habits of my family and that we are all of us literally wanderers on the face of the earth. About a month ago, following the principle of Mahomet and the mountains, I determined to set out in search of business, as it did not seem to be making any very conscious enquiries about me. We accordingly on the 17th of last month, after having packed up our household goods, consisting of 3 chairs and [illegible] your own presents and [illegible] property together with lots of things which Em’s mother has let us have, we made up [illegible] a load of traps for Michigan Bluffs and bidding adieu to Nevada started in the stage for Sacramento. We stayed there 4 days to buy what little furniture we absolutely wanted, provisions enough to last us through the winter, and some other little things Emily wanted. By the by, Charlotte may yet perhaps aspire to attain in 4 or 5 months the venerable title of Aunty; at all events, I should not be very much surprised at such an event occurring about that time. We came back as far as Auburn (halfway both to Nevada and to this place) and stayed there 2 days with a friend, the same at whose [Page 2] house we stayed a week 2 years ago, if you remember. We should have much liked to stay a few days longer among pleasant people, but as the rainy season had already cast its shadows before we had to hurry on to get settled before the reign of wet [illegible] set in. I had been over here before to look for a house and had not found much difficulty in making a selection for this reason. As I told you, I believe in the letter that went down with the Central America, the "City" of Michigan Bluffs was erased by fire a week before my first appearance in it, or rather in its place, on my return from my prospecting trip in the mountains. Since then, it has been rebuilt as well or better than it was [illegible] accommodations as they [illegible] required, as newcomer is almost [illegible] to the alternative of building himself a house, or doing without one. I succeeded, however, at last in finding a desirable family mansion consisting of 2 small rooms and still smaller kitchen, the whole being exceedingly well ventilated and bearing the impress of its creator, a Dane by birth, a tailor by education, a miner by occupation when at work, and in the present instance (may it be the last) a carpenter by choice when idle. California has a great name for making new trades for men, though there must have been in his case an intractability of material that could not be overcome. I wished to be able to have a bed for Em's mother who is coming to live with us, as also to have an office in the house, but was considered quite [Page 3] unreasonable in my requirements and have had to adopt Hobson's choice and live here until spring, hoping either to find some more comfortable house, or to be able to build one for myself by that time. We stayed a week at a boarding house until we had made the house a little more habitable by caulking the floors and until our things had arrived from Sacramento. Tomorrow a carpenter is going to put up a little room 7 feet long and 6 wide for our "spare bedroom”" and provision store room together (large rooms are cold and uncomfortable in winter). You will think me aristocratic to employ a carpenter at $6 a day to do what I could do nearly as well myself. I meant to do it, but I sprained my ankle a week ago and have been unable to do much since [illegible]. I do not expect it to be quite well [illegible] consideration. I consider the case of the "old woman who lived in a stall" to be "nowhar" compared to ours. Emily caught a bad cold coming up here from Auburn and has been unwell most of the time since our arrival. There are, I believe, one or two pleasant ladies here, but we do not yet know them and as, if I have any business (so far I have been very fortunate and have already made enough to keep us a month since we have been here), I shall be away from home a good deal, I have written to Mrs. Mather to come over as soon as she can to stay with us. According to present appearances, I may in time get a good business here, though it is hard [Page 4] to tell. There are 3 or 4 surveyors in this county, but as none of them live within 15 miles and have not much to recommend them but the sound of their own trumpets, I do not think they will be very formidable rivals here on my own walk. My mining is so far only [illegible] and I cannot expect to know my fate, success (or failure), far less to realize anything, for some months to come. A lady friend of ours in Sacramento gave us a young canary to start housekeeping with, but the poor little thing caught a bad cold coming up and has, I am afraid, permanently spoilt its voice. It is, however, already a great favourite and spends part of its time hopping about all over the house, inspecting things generally. This is so far our only pet. A fawn who has next door [illegible]. As you say, too much [illegible] breeds despise and [illegible] this afternoon we received gentle hints that its room was more acceptable than its company. I have not heard from you for a long time and do not even know where you are, though I suppose you are at Nice. I suppose, however, Charly is at Geneva and will get this. I am sorry to hear that Grandmama has such poor health. Give my love to her. My old watch, after repeated "tinkerings up", has finally refused to go any more. As I am very much in want of one, I will write to Paul Brez by this mail to send me as good a silver watch as he can for 200 francs, which he will be paid at Geneva on applying to you. Grandmama’s present will that way be very useful to me. With best love to Papa, Charlotte and the Bairns, believe me, Dearest Mother, your affectionate son M. L. Stangroom
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Identifier: wwu:29278
Title: 1866-10-10 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his sister Lucy
Date: 1866-10-10
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: Manuscript
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18661010_b
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18661010_B [Page 1] [Steamer] Arago Wednesday 10 Oct. 1866 My Dear little sister If I wish you to keep your promise about writing, I must set the example, though there is not much in the scenes of shipboard that would interest you unless painted by a more lively pen than m
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18661010_B [Page 1] [Steamer] Arago Wednesday 10 Oct. 1866 My Dear little sister If I wish you to keep your promise about writing, I must set the example, though there is no
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18661010_B [Page 1] [Steamer] Arago Wednesday 10 Oct. 1866 My Dear little sister If I wish you to keep your promise about writing, I must set the example, though there is not much in the scenes of shipboard that would interest you unless painted by a more lively pen than mine is today. If you had come with me I do not think you would have seen the humorous side of things, though anyone with a keen appreciation of gymnastic feats and tours de force could see plenty to admire, or rather laugh at. I was singularly fortunate in escaping from all the ridiculous casualties which occurred to nearly all who were well and able to be up on decks or in the [Page 2] smoking room. That was for two or three days a perfect pandemonium. The motion of the ship, being such as to make it impossible to sit on the fixed seats without holding on and often not then, often a sudden lurch would send five or six off their seats and to the other end of the room like rocks out of a catapult, and there they would roll backwards and forwards a tangled mass of human beings, pipes, and spittoons, several times before getting hold of something to stop them. It was great fun to me who happened to hold on at the right time and had a constant performance for my benefit. A great many were bruised and clothes spoilt, [Page 3] but strangely no bones broken and all entered into the fun of the thing though occasionally a few "cursory remarks" would escape from some of the victims. Those who preferred to stay below got some thrown out of their berths, others inundated in them when seas were shipped, and at meals more nutriment was generally taken externally than internally. Sometimes during a few moments of fancied security, we would be eating and all at once the tables would be cleared at one sweep, leaving only the cloth and racks on the table. As I told Mama, I have not made any sensation among the female portion of the community, though the males who have dubbed me "San Francisco" seem [Page 4] to think in their envy at my having been always on the laughing side that my antecedents are of an uncertain nature with a tendency toward a belief in an acrobatic or "circuitous" career. I also improved my mind on occasion by interchange of thought and puns. Here's one: Who was the first man mentioned in the Bible? Give it up? "Chap I!!!!!!" The weather is pleasant and the sea calm, though we have got into such a habit of rolling that we can’t break ourselves of it all at once, and writing becomes difficult under the circumstances. Goodbye, Lucy – give my love to Matthew and believe me your affectionate Brother, M. L. Stangroom Write often
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Identifier: wwu:24108
Title: Rawlings - The Yearling
Date: 1948-03-24
Description: The Yearling was published in 1938 by Charles Scribner's Sons. Rawlings was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1939 for The Yearling.
Digital Collection: info:fedora/wwu:24050
Type of resource: Text
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: 20th century children's authors collection: writing about writing in letters and personal narratives
Local Identifier: 20thCCA_rawlings
Text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - Rawlings ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings - The Yearling ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Rawlings_01 ---------- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Gross Creek Hawthorn, Florida March 24, 1948. Dear Miss Montgomery: Your list of boo
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): 20th Century Children's Authors - Rawlings ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings - The Yearling ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Rawlings_01 ---------- Marjorie
Show more20th Century Children's Authors - Rawlings ---------- 20th Century Children's Authors - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings - The Yearling ---------- ---------- 20thCCA_Rawlings_01 ---------- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Gross Creek Hawthorn, Florida March 24, 1948. Dear Miss Montgomery: Your list of books is really impressive. Your text on The Yearling is accurate. No, I don't need the mimeographed sheet returned. With all good wishes, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings ---------- 20thCCA_Rawlings_02 ---------- "The Yearling" Published by: Charles Scribner's Sons Year: 1938 Real Name: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (Mrs. Norton Baskin Pen Name: ditto What do you family and friends call you?: Marjorie A. YOUR BACKGROUND Date of birth: Aug. 8, 1896 Place of birth: Washington D.C. Father's occupation: patent att'y Number of Brothers: 1 and sisters: Father's nationality: American Mother's nationality: American Kind of home during childhood (farm, small town, city apt. etc): divided between suburb of Wash, Where: and father's farm in Maryland Amount of schooling (high school, college, etc.): high school and B.A. from university of Wisconsin Economic status during childhood (poor, middle class, wealthy): middle class Special interests as a child (sports, books, games, etc.): books, anything to do with nature, building stories around paper dolls--hated regular dolls. When did you begin to write?: as soon as I could put pencil to paper Why?: couldn't help it Who encouraged you?: teachers and parents whom I showed the drawings. What and when was your first success or recognition?: at age of 11, winning $2 prize in children's page of Washington Post. Biggest money I ever received. How did you happen to write for children?: Never wrote specifically for child- ren. The Yearling just happened to be told simply enough to appeal to them. However, remember sitting on steps of Baptist Church and telling stories to other children. ---------- 20thCCA_Rawlings_03 ---------- B. THE WRITING OF THE BOOK Where did you get the idea for the book?: See introduction to school edition of The Yearling Were the characters real people, or based on real people?: See above Where were you living at the time?: Cross Creek, Fla. What was your major occupation?: Writing and orange growing Did you talk the book over with any of them?: No Did you discuss it with an editor?: Yes Where and how did you get the material? (library research, travel, personal experience, etc.) See school edition of The Yearling When did you begin to write the book?: See enclosed sheet Where?: Cross Creek How much had you had published when you began it? (Give names of books): South Moon Under, Golden Apples What was your purpose in writing this book?: writers seldom have a "purpose" in writing anything at all. They write because a theme and a set of characters are irresistible. How do you write? (typewriter, long-hand, dictate): typewriter Where? (study, office, etc.): front porch in warm weather, by fireplace in cold Do you keep regular office hours?: Yes. If so, what are they?: work 8 hrs. a day when on a book Do you revise much?: greatly Write easily or laboriously?: laboriously Do you let your family or friends read your work, or try it out on children?: neither ---------- 20thCCA_Rawlings_04 ---------- Who makes your final copies? (yourself, private secretary, public typist, etc.): myself Did you make an outline before writing the book?: more or less Did you decide on the title first or last?: first how long did it take you to write the book?: See sheet Did you work on it steadily?: yes Was your book accepted immediately by a publisher?: Yes Was it immediately popular on publication?: I suppose so C. ILLUSTRATIONS How much did you have to do with the illustrations of your book?: Nothing ---------- 20thCCA_Rawlings_05 ---------- D. WHAT SORT OF PERSON YOU ARE What did you look like when you wrote this book? Dark or Fair?: Medium Tall or short?: Tall Thin or plump?: Thin then- Color of eyes?: Blue Wore glasses?: for reading Color of hair?: dark Kind of hair--long or short?: short Curly or straight?: straight Are you quiet or talkative?: Both Friendly or reserved?: Both Do you laugh a great deal or are you usually grave?: Both Are you quick-tempered ir calm and placid?: Both What sort of clothes do you wear most when writing? (sports, suits, slacks, etc.): whatever I have that isn't too ragged Favorite occupations and hobbies?: Nature, cooking, reading What is your normal speech like?: (Meticulously correct, colloquial, slangy, abrupt, rambling, etc.): Reasonably correct - occasionally abrupt If strongly religious, give denomination.: strongly religious but of no denomination Can you direct me to any articles or books which have been written about you?: Suggest you write Mr. Norman Snow, c/o Scribner's, 597 -5th Ave., New York City 17.
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