130 FLIGHT FROM THE CITY 



gin to voice more openly the ideas which I have so long 

 considered in secret. Hereafter I shall not only speak on 

 the subject, but I intend to quote appropriate passages 

 from your book. Of course I shall place one or more copies 

 of it on the library shelves. However, there is every reason 

 to believe that, if it reaches the hands of any of the more 

 conservative members of the faculty (and it probably 

 will), they will request its removal because of the remarks 

 on religion. 



But why worry over trifles? 



About two and a half years later and over a year 

 after the writer of this letter had moved to his own 

 "island of intelligence and beauty," I received, the fol- 

 lowing letter from him: 



Since receiving your letter some two years ago, I have 

 had ample time to consider the truth of your statement 

 that the cards were stacked against the farmer. However, 

 we may console ourselves with the fact that the farmer is 

 not now suffering alone. Here I did not plan to farm on a 

 large scale, but only to have some chickens. With the 

 chickens I have used plenty of caution and as yet have not 

 suffered any losses. Despite the depression, things have 

 gone on quite well. I have a position at the local university 

 library and divide my time between this seat of learning 

 and the ranch. We have a comfortable home, ten acres and 

 the first three units of the chicken arrangement finished 

 and it is all paid for so we feel fairly independent. 



We are all well satisfied and like the open spaces more 

 all the time. In some respects our situation is ideal. Al- 

 though it takes less than fifteen minutes to reach the city, 

 we are far enough out to hear the coyotes howl now and 



