p.

We got here the day after his birth-
day, then he told us that he had
been growing blind - that was the
matter. Lorry was moved to write
his poem, which was printed at once
in The Independent, Stoddards
followed in two or three days. We
have heard from Texas, Montana,
[Denver ?], Oregon etc. only your word
and Lilian Whiting has come from
N England. Stoddards "three score
and ten" - is a perfect poem, it is a
genuine appeal to all who know &
have suffered, and put in language
so simple and dired, that it looks
like inspiration. By the way Houghton
and Mifflin will publish my poems
in Oct. at last, if my friends dont
buy the book nobody will, my poems
do not like [ young?] appeal to the universal
heart - they will be called cranky