Gertrude Atherton is sending me picture-postals of Berchtesgaden and other scenes of "The Monk and the Hangman's Daughter." She found all the places "exactly as described"--the lakes, mountains, St. Bartolomae, the cliff-meadow where the edelweiss grows, and so forth. The photographs are naturally very interesting to me. Good night. AMBROSE BIERCE. [Army and Navy Club, Washington, D. C., September 12, 1908.] MY DEAR MR. CAHILL, Thank you for your good wishes for the "Collected Works"--an advertisement of which--with many blushes!--I enclose. Sincerely yours, AMBROSE BIERCE. P.S.--The "ad" is not sent in the hope that you will be so foolish as to subscribe--merely to "show" you. The "edition de luxe" business is not at all to my taste--I should prefer a popular edition at a possible price. [New York, November 6, 1908.] DEAR GEORGE, Your letter has just been forwarded from Washington. I'm here for a few days only--"few days and full of trouble," as the Scripture hath it. The "trouble" is mainly owling, dining and booze. I'll not attempt an answer to your letter till I get home. * * * * * I'm going to read Hopper's book, and if it doesn't show him to be a * * * or a * * * I'll call on him. If it does I won't. I'm getting pretty particular in my old age; the muck-rakers, blood-boilers and little brothers-of-the-bad are not congenial. By the way, why do you speak of my "caning" you. I did not suppose that _you_ had joined the innumerable caravan of those who find something sarcastic or malicious in my good natured raillery in careless controversy. If I choose to smile in ink at your inconsistency in weeping for the woes of individual "others"--meaning other _humans_--while you, of course, don't give a damn for the thousands of lives that you crush out every time you set down your foot, or eat a berry, why shouldn't _I_ do so? One can't always remember to stick to trifles, even in writing a letter. Put on your skin, old man, I may want to poke about with my finger again. * * * * * Sincerely yours, AMBROSE BIERCE. [Washington, D. C., December 11, 1908.] DEAR GEORGE, * * * * * I'm still working at my book. Seven volumes are completed and I've read the proofs of Vol. I.