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211 letter 71 To John Eliot Bowen November 27, [1889] [New York City, New York] 27 Nov Dear Mr. Bowen I have read my story1 with smiles of wonder. It seems to me that the individuality of it is left out. I had not the least idea of its length or finish. I never wrote a story for a newspaper, nor anything to order. I never wrote on small pages of paper before. No wonder you were amazed when you received the stack. On the whole, when I compare it with the sketch that follows it,2 I believe mutilated as it is, we can hardly call it commonplace. Some time I hope to do something for you that will suit us both entirely. Poor R. H. S. It almost made him sick. Anything that he believes will disturb or disappoint me upsets him, more than it does me. I advise you to begin your married life with nerve,3 and hardness of heart, and not bow down in the hours of what’s his name. I am sorry to have made so much trouble for you, it was made very ignorantly by me, and I fervently hope you will hear something good of the story to compensate for it. Yours very truly, Elizabeth Stoddard PS R. H. S. says that he is grateful to you because you were so kind to take the trouble. Manuscript: Richard Henry Stoddard Papers, American Antiquarian Society notes 1. “The Threads Leading to Thanksgiving” appeared in the Independent on November 28, 1889. Prior to submitting the story to Bowen, she told him that the “sketch” was set in Massachusetts around 1835. “I mean it to be faithful to the 212 habits of the country people of that time, and if possible to get the atmosphere of allthatislocal—butasyouknowIamnotale-bearer.Asstories,myworkamounts tolittle,Ilackinvention—andmyreadersmusttakemeonothergroundsentirely” (October29,1889,AbernethyCollection,MiddleburyCollege).Stoddarddiscusses Bowen’s editing of the story in her letter to Lilian Whiting dated December 26, 1889: “He cut [it] down more than half and took out all the atmosphere,” she explained , “but he wanted it, and I let him do as he pleased” (Lilian Whiting Papers, Boston Public Library). 2.Stoddard’sstoryisfollowedbyapoemcalled“TheThanksgivingPumpkins” by George Cooper (1838–1927) and then “Jack’s Two Dinners: A Thanksgiving Story” by Olive Thorne Miller (1831–1918). “Olive Thorne Miller” was the pseudonym of Harriet Mann Miller, a naturalist and children’s author. 3. At the time of this letter, John Eliot Bowen was engaged and planning to marry in early 1890. However, he died from typhoid fever in January 1890. ...

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