J. Howard Moore to Henry S Salt, November 10, 1907
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My Dear Mr. Salt —
I am truly sorry that it is your lot to receive so many unpleasant letters. But you can rest assured that it is not your fault. It results from the fact that your critics are lacking in the facilities for appreciation. If those who write to you had a full & adult & final understanding of things, your mail box would be constantly filled with praise & appreciation.
I am glad indeed that you are going to write to me oftener. I know you are very busy; & when one is hanging the most of the time are the precipice of his energies an additional letter is an appreciable contribution to one's burdens. But we will be dead some of these years. Or we will be so old & weakened that our enthusiasms will not be touched as they are now by the friendly swingling of [antennae?].
The little squirrel I sent you by picture is a chipmunk that lived about our cottage in the Adirondacks the past summer. I don't know that chipmunks live on your island. They are wood squirrels, but do not inhabit trees; but make their homes under old stumps & fallen logs & in the ground. Their nature is more confiding than that of any other squirrel that I know of. "Chippy" came into our cottage & rummaged all about for pea-
The little squirrel I sent you by picture is a chipmunk that lived about our cottage in the Adirondacks the past summer. I don't know that chipmunks live on your island. They are wood squirrels, but do not inhabit trees; but make their homes under old stumps & fallen logs & in the ground. Their nature is more confiding than that of any other squirrel that I know of. "Chippy" came into our cottage & rummaged all about for pea-
nuts and other tidbits for his midwinter store. In the picture he is sitting on my hand in the act of pocketing a pod of his favorite legumes.
I have been enjoying your highland sketches in the Humane Review & the Animal's Friend very much. I think I have read them all twice & have had friends of mine read them. I am glad indeed that you love so ardently the beautiful art galleries of nature, & that you have made this plea for their
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preservation. The same ruthless hands of commercialism has devastated our beautiful new world over here; & now the lover of the beautiful has to go around hungry & famished or travel long distances to reach the rapidly dwindling remnants of the national world.
Here in Chicago our condition is especially forlorn — nothing but a great big sky, & that all smoked up the most of the time. I love you for your caresses of the charming hills & mountains; & I shall
preservation. The same ruthless hands of commercialism has devastated our beautiful new world over here; & now the lover of the beautiful has to go around hungry & famished or travel long distances to reach the rapidly dwindling remnants of the national world.
Here in Chicago our condition is especially forlorn — nothing but a great big sky, & that all smoked up the most of the time. I love you for your caresses of the charming hills & mountains; & I shall
be much pleased to receive reproductions of your home-village & neighborhood.
I have not read the writing of Long & Roberts much — only extracts which i have come across. I am better acquainted with Thompson, whom I regard as a most interesting story teller. He enables & compels readers to feel the feelings of his characters. But he is primarily interested in holding & entertaining his readers, rather than in illuminating & civilizing them. This latter anxiety exists in his mind, but it is incidental & painless.
Very Resply
Chicago 11/10 1907
Howard Moore
I have not read the writing of Long & Roberts much — only extracts which i have come across. I am better acquainted with Thompson, whom I regard as a most interesting story teller. He enables & compels readers to feel the feelings of his characters. But he is primarily interested in holding & entertaining his readers, rather than in illuminating & civilizing them. This latter anxiety exists in his mind, but it is incidental & painless.
Very Resply
Chicago 11/10 1907
Howard Moore