If you will even partially see these facts as I see them it will make me very happy--and we can be much closer and more “together” that way than merely just living in the same house and seeing each other every day would ever bring about alone. I have been thinking much about you and about dear Grandma--and I shall have you with me much on Christmas day. We’ll be dancing a little, and are invited around to a couple of celebrations at other houses here, but there will be no such pretentious preparations as for Thanksgiving and no extra guests here. --/--/ 1924 170: TO CHARLOTTE RYCHTARIK _New York City_ _Jan. 6th, ’24_ Dear Charlotte: Your lovely gift and long beautiful letter made me feel a little bit ashamed that I had written you such a hasty and doubting letter. Isn’t it funny that just about the time one doubts humanity and begins to take some kind of active resentment against it, along comes fresh proof that there are, after all, many noble people that make life worth all kinds of trouble for the reward of having known them, kissed or shaken hands! I have been looking into your eyes--whether you knew it or not; you looked into mine in that letter--and I’m grateful for the confidence that you had in me, even though something made you doubt me a little. I really am just the same old person--just as moody and unreliable as ever I was in Cleveland when we used to exchange our troubles and get rid of them in some music or over a book or a picture. What I said about “prostituting my mind,” etc., I really meant. I _do_ resent it--and because so many others as good and better than myself must also do the same in order to live and breathe doesn’t help things at all. I shall keep right on talking that way--and probably not practice what I preach at all. I seemed very bitter in my letter because my mother seemed to think that a vacation was an extravagance--while I knew that it was the only thing for me to do in order not to go all to pieces. I feel now like a new man--better than I can ever remember feeling and realize that the country and hard work out in the keen sparkling air are the finest things in the world. Of course I should like to have stayed in the mountains even longer, but I know that I must now get to work again and earn some money. And I don’t mind it a bit, either, feeling as I do. I have two appointments tomorrow and I don’t think I shall have such a slow time finding work as before. It is a better season, “business is better” and I have had “experience in N.Y.” which counts some. --/--/ 171: TO ISABEL AND GASTON LACHAISE [_New York City_] _Jan. 9th --’24_