Check my previous entry under the title “New York City Women’s History Book Tour” and you’ll read about the walking tour I recently conducted for Books Afoot (a week-long literary tour in NYC led by Mollie Hoben of the Minnesota Women’s Press). Today I returned from spending a few days at our bungalow on a barrier island off the coast of NJ and found a package with a North Dakota return address. I looked at the name and realized it was from the woman on the tour who knew who Mary E. Wilkins Freeman was and had read Freeman’s book The Revolt of Mother! and other stories. (The first stop on the tour was the Academy of Arts and Letters where the inscription on the bronze doors reads: “Dedicated to the memory of Mary E. Wilkins Freeman and the women writers of America.” I told the group that I did not know about Freeman until I discovered the inscription about the Academy’s doors.)
I opened the package and found her copy of Freeman’s book with a note: “Hi Penny, I found my copy of Mary E. Wilkins Freeman’s The Revolt of Mother! . . . . Although the book is showing its age I’m sure you will give it a good home. And perhaps the biographical information in the Afterword will be of some good use to you.” Absolutely I will give it a good home and put it to good use and thank you for your thoughtfulness and shared love of women’s words and writings.