FROM LETTERS OF SUBSCRIBERS
“Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Since the first of January, 1904, I’ve been writing you this letter! ‘The Women’s Journal,’ of Boston, presented you to me—and I’ve been acknowledging the introduction ever since!! ‘——-‘ I bought—and read—and re-read your ‘Women and Economics’ and ‘The Home, It’s Work and Influence.’ I then as now, knew—that I had known these things always—you had only beat me to its expression.”
*
“The magazine is interesting of course, and clever and inspiring. I enclose check for $3.00 for my own subscription and for two others, whose addresses I write on the same card.”
*
“The Forerunner has such a cheery, hopeful, even confident tone that it is fine to read it. I feel, dear Mrs. Gilman, that as much as I liked your earlier work, I find even more in this latest. It touches the quick more—in me.”
*
“Enclosed please find post office order for $1.00, to cover a year’s subscription to The Forerunner, and I sincerely trust that that magazine will have the influence that it deserves. The November number alone is worth the price.”
*
“Its going to be well worth a dollar, this Forerunner of yours, if the forerunner I have received of The Forerunner is to be taken as typical, I am immensely interested in your philosophy of life. Your tale of Diantha I turned over to my eldest daughter and its effect is pronounced. She is looking for the next number.”
*
“We enjoy the magazine very much, particularly the series of articles titled ‘Our Androcentric Culture.’ It explains very satisfactorily the present andriness of conditions. May you live a thousand years—and longer; to continue good work of enlightenment.”
*
“Mrs. H—— has sent me a sample copy of The Forerunner. It is fine. I always run to hear you when you speak,—now I may sit at home and talk with you!”
*
“The Barrel is delicious. If Mrs. D—— hasn’t already subscribed, do send her this number. I enclose stamps therefor.”
*
“May I congratulate you on your magazine, The Forerunner. Of course the things you say in it are good as everything you ever say is, and added to that the magazine is attractive in form and in make-up. I think that you ought to be happy, indeed, that you are putting forth such a good looking as well as clever publication. I was delighted to see some of your verse again, for no matter what brilliant things you have done along economic lines, nothing has ever gone to the very bottom with me more than your verse, ‘In this our world.'”
*
“I have been intending to write to congratulate you upon the magazine.
It goes without saying that it is clever and altogether delightful.
Long may it continue.”
*
“Permit me to congratulate you on getting up a paper with so much intellectual food contained within its covers. Both my wife and self enjoyed reading No. 3 ‘——-‘ particularly ‘Androcentric Culture.’ More power to you!”
*
“Thank you so much for the December and January numbers of The Forerunner;—I think they are great, great, GREAT!—Every bit of them makes one grind one’s teeth with satisfaction.”
*
“We three are familiar with your ‘Women and Economics’ and regularly announce to each other by post card;—See such a magazine—an article by ‘our C. P. G.’ So imagine our satisfaction to learn that ‘our Mrs. Gilman’ has now a magazine where ‘her policies’ are so ably presented! ‘——-‘ I shall never lose an opportunity to advertise The Forerunner by word of mouth.”
*
“If possible include all numbers of your paper in the following yearly subscriptions. We are anxious to have the file from the first.
“The paper is great. May it be able to outlive the necessity for its mission.”
(Encloses three subscriptions).
*
“In our family circle we have read aloud The Forerunner for November and December with much interest and enjoyment. We were particularly pleased with your article on Christmas and the Santa Claus myth.”
*
“Hurrah for The Forerunner—He is a bully little youngster—Or is he a she?—Sex on cover seems indeterminate. Is he just human? I enclose $5.00 for five subscriptions to following list—(if any are already subscribers they can be omitted). J—— tells me that he has already negotiated for a copy for us. All good wishes from us both.”
*
“I have read the January issue. Of course I heartily endorse it all, since I was long ago converted by your books.”
*
“Congratulations on The Forerunner, two copies just received,—the magazine is better than I expected and I knew it would be good. Our dinner table was much enlivened that night, with comments and expressions of approval from all, even to G——, my very conservative son.”
*
“I devoured The Forerunner from ‘Volume 1’ to ‘The pain from a raw wound,’ and am not yet satisfied. Please take my check for ‘more.'”
*
“How much liberty do you wish us to take in the matter of quotations from The Forerunner ‘——-‘ Both January copies have just come to hand. Your stories are more interesting than any I’ve read for a long time. I hope you will continue these ‘Housekeeping Problems.’
*
“I find The Forerunner on our club table far too exciting to pick up and skim. Therefore I enclose a year’s subscription.”
*
“I am very much interested in your opinions and convictions as set forth in the books I have seen and am hoping to find a guide and friend in the above publication, which has recently come to my notice.”
*
“The address was incorrect and so am sending the correct one at the top of this page, as I do not want to chance losing any of the numbers, I enjoy it so thoroughly.”
*
“Your January number was fine. Mrs. D—— thinks it is worth the price for the year.”
*
“The January Forerunner is especially rich. ‘Here is the earth,’ is worth the subscription price, to put it mildly.”
*
“Mother’s copy of The Forerunner has just come, and I want to subscribe right off, before I read it! I know it will be the very cleverest and most stimulating thing in print. I want to lend it to the other girls at college.”
*
“I must take a few moments to say how much I enjoy The Forerunner.”
*
“To speak commercially, I never saw so much value given for the price, in my life! And then the stuff itself! Well;
“‘Her Housekeeper,’ gave me such joy that I read it four times, to be sure I had extracted all the juice. A real love story! I suppose perhaps the only one that was ever written! I, at least, do not recall, in all the tons of fiction I have swum through a story of real LOVE before. * * * Apropos of this not seeing—not grasping the idea—comes ‘The Barrel.’ Oh fine! More power to your right arm.”
*
“My sister and I have greatly enjoyed your publication, its articles, its poetry, its question box, its advertisements. Better send the two subscriptions from January number—we have the magazine at home, but I want my patients to regale themselves with it when they are waiting for me at the office.”
*
“The magazine is fine! A real Forerunner. I was in Connecticut when it came, but rushed head first into it on the evening of my return. I hope it will grow and grow and GROW! until you have to call a halt on subscribers. I enclose a dollar to have a copy sent regularly to Miss ——- ——-. It will do them good.”
*
“We are having great amusement over your magazine. For the enclosed please send it to Miss ——- ——- and to me.”
*
“I cannot refrain from expressing to you the great pleasure and satisfaction I got from the one copy of The Forerunner that I have seen. I hope there are many that are as hungry for it as I am. A dollar seems such a ridiculously low amount to give for what this means in study, thought, foresight, courage and independence.”
*
“I enclose a dollar for a year’s subscription to Charlotte’s monthly, The Forerunner. Having read one issue, I am sure a year’s subscription will be a good investment.”
* “Will it be presumptuous in me to take enough of your time to tell you how much The Forerunner means to an ordinary woman out West? It is defining and putting into shape so many of my vague feelings and muddy ideas. * * * Your books and magazine have been among the few great inspirations of my life that have made all life look big and splendid and worth while.”
*
“A word or two of appreciation from Iowa! Your magazine The Forerunner is splendid and no mere words can tell you how I have enjoyed it. The whole thing, from cover to cover, is excellent and vigorous.”
*
“The first number came. And I devoured it from cover to cover and back again before I let anyone else see it. Now they are all reading it and chuckling over ‘How doth the Hat,’ and discussing the serious parts with great gusto. It makes me glad when I think that more numbers are coming regularly now and I can look forward to the next one and waylay the postman when the time comes. Certainly this number has made me (for one), sit up and think a bit. I wish the next one were due to-morrow.”
*
“I want to thank you for the January number of The Forerunner—both Mrs. R——- and myself have enjoyed it immensely, as we have enjoyed everything you have written. We want more of it, so here goes my subscription.”
*
“Accept my hearty congratulations upon The Forerunner. The first number is delightful, and exceedingly clever. ‘What Diantha did,’ and ‘Androcentric Culture,’ are deep and clear and stimulating, and ‘How doth the hat’ should make all who read it sit up and take notice. It seems to me that every thinking woman who sees this copy will become a subscriber. I enclose a check for my subscription and that of my mother, Mrs. ——- ——-.”
*
“You astonishing woman! To write, edit and publish a magazine all by your lonesome! It seems to me a tremendous undertaking, which by its very courage should appeal to everyone. I do not know that I agree with you in the theory on which The Forerunner stands—I don’t know enough about it to agree or disagree—but it’s certainly interesting. I like the stories, and the short, clever things by the way. May the magazine be the success it deserves to be! I enclose $1.00 for the year, and I shall look for it with interest.”
*
“Kindly send to Mrs. F——, your magazine beginning with Vol. 1 No. 1 for the year. (One dollar enclosed.) I saw the little magazine at Mr. ——-‘s, and was much interested in it.”
*
“My mother wants you to know of her enthusiasm over the second issue of The Forerunner, which she thinks an advance even over the first number. Her points were these: 1. Such a pleasure to read a homogeneous magazine instead of having to skip from lion hunting to Christian Science and from that to flying machines. 2. Admires the way you take the individual problems of individual women, and by means of the individual problems lead these women into the larger view of life and into an understanding of the androcentric culture. 3. Article on Socialism most concise, clearest and most convincing she has ever read. In this I heartily agree.” * * * “4. The trite phrase about ‘not one dull word from cover to cover’ applies literally and without the slightest exaggeration to this number of The Forerunner.”
*
“I enclosed a dollar; please send your magazine for a year to the following address, beginning if possible with the first number, Vol. 1, No. 1. If that cannot be, then start with January. It is to go to my daughter, her husband, and brand new grand-baby; and I am sure it will do them all good.”
*
“I am enclosing $1.00 for the paper—I have mislaid the circular, and if I have not the amount right, I will be very happy to send the difference. If it is practicable, I’d rather you’d send the first number of The Forerunner, instead of beginning with the current number—I’ll gladly pay more for the back numbers, if I can get them.”
*
“As your lectures and books always appealed to my best judgment, I am anxious to have it a monthly visitor, beginning with the first number.”
*
“It has the spirit of making people think and wish to see things go on.”
*
“To say that we greatly appreciate it is to only hint our mood. It is by far the strongest and best expressed word on these problems of society in which are inextricably mingled the position of woman. We read it with the greatest satisfaction and feel sure that your message is coming most timely.” * * *
*
“Here is my subscription to The Forerunner—one of the most cheerful purchases I ever made, and certainly a bargain! Success attend your efforts, for they mean much to mankind.”
*
“Let me compliment you on your excellent articles on Androcentric Culture. They contain knowledge combined with so much beauty of expression that they feed and charm the mind alike.”
*
“I hope that The Forerunner will meet all the success it deserves and that it will go to the many men and women who are in sore need of it.”
*
“Can’t be without it any longer. Send Forerunner, and you may begin as far back as you like.”