Typed letter, unsigned but with holograph amendments and additions by Jack London, as well as a few notes by Charmian Kittredge. 40 lines, on rectos of two sheets of typing paper.
Highly significant letter from Jack London to his still-secret love, Charmian Kittredge, who was in Iowa visiting relatives. Bessie London had filed divorce papers on June 28th, wrongly believing that Jack was seeing Anna Strunsky, when it was her friend Charmian with whom Jack was in love. Jack did not address the letter, nor sign it, aiming to maintain secrecy even at this late date. He writes: “The fight is on. Am too busy to write love. Know that George [Sterling] had telegraphed you. Had no time to write. Bess is adamant. Tell you the case in a nutshell. Bess brought suite before year was up. Couldn’t therefore bring suit on ground of desertion, so brought it on grounds of cruelty, etc, etc. She wanted to bring suit in order to get injunctions on all I possess,” [here he inserts in ink holograph “before I arrived on the spot”], “and so hold all I possess tied up until full year elapsed, when she could bring suit for separation and maintenance and have court give her a whack at all I possess in division of community property… She offered to withdraw complaint for divorce if I would contract to buy her land and build her a home and give her regular monthly support. When I asked for freedom she said nay. Then I said nay. There it stands… I see no reason why you should not return to California, for my troubles with Bess are bound to continue for a weary long time. You may crop up in the midst of it, you may never be mentioned… If you remain till divorce is granted, you may remain away for years, you may die and be buried away…” He types “Mate” at end, in lieu of signing, and adds in ink holograph “Write me at flat if you can see your way to it.” At to the top of the first sheet Charmian has written in ink “To Newton, Iowa,” and in pencil “Jack to Charmian when fighting for divorce.” With a note from Russ Kingman to Wayne Newton, “The letter from Jack to Charmian July 6, 1904 has changes in both Jack and Charmian’s handwriting.” The top of the second sheet is clipped off, but not affecting any text. Pinholes at the top from being held together.