4/15/43 [
4468]'s father's letter to EC:
Mr. Edgar Cayce
c/o Association for Research and Enlightenment
Virginia Beach, Virginia
My dear Cayce;
This is just a short letter to acknowledge receipt of your
book and your fine letter which preceded it. I am inclosing
a money order for $3.50, which I understand is the publishers
price on the regular edition. You sent no bill with the
book, so I do not know the price of this special edition
which you so kindly sent me.
It is putting it mildly when I say that we were all thrilled
to hear from you and to receive this lovely book autographed
by you. I have not yet had the time, of course, to read it
completely, I have just given it a once over, but eventually
every page will be devoured.
As soon as I can spare this copy I shall take it to one, or
both, of the daily papers here to see if the literary critics
will give it a review and some publication; then too, I shall
make an effort to have The Cokesbury Book Company place it in
stock. This company is a very large concern, occupying four
of five floors of nothing but books. It is probably the
largest concern of its kind in the Southwest. I have not
received the paraphernalia concerning the book that you said
you would have your son send me. This material might be
of some help in inducing the papers here to give the book
special attention.
Later I shall write you a little more personal letter
concerning our families and so forth, which might be of some
interest to you. By the way, I was some what amused when
I noticed how my name was used in the book. I had entirely
forgotten the occasion you mentioned, but it certainly
brought back old times regarding my association with you.
I could string this letter along to considerable lengths,
but just at this moment do not have the time. I can only say
in closing that we are happy to know that you are O.K. and
perhaps happy in your work; however, just one further word,
I wish to know if you are giving regular readings and what
the fee may be, for example, if some one here would want to
reading for physical aid would I be able to call on you for
that?
With sincere good wishes and love; I remain your old friend -
[signed] F. O. Putnam
P.S. Dear Hugh:
Just after signing my name above, your letter with the book
review was laid on my desk.
Thank you a lot, F. O. P.
4/19/43 EC's letter to Prof. Putnam:
Prof. F. O. Putnam
Dallas Texas
Dear Putnam;-
Thanks for yours of the 15th - had not intended that you pay
for the book at all. Oh, Yes, still give away every thing
that isn't nailed down, but gosh to find a friend you thought
so much of again and through the book, well, felt you were
deserving one. But thanks and hope you find time for that
long letter one of these days when you have caught up with
my history of my whole life up to last year, at least, then
maybe we can chew the rag over present day happenings and the
like. They have both my boys now in the Army - taking this
last one about got me for he was the Mgr. of the Ass'n the
presents the work at this time. Think tho he wrote you the
day he left, didn't he. Did he send you the sheets that they
might have an idea that had been in the papers before.
Will be swell of you if you will get the book reviewed in
your local papers, or you write your own review if not afraid
of what people will say but be that as it may, what ever you
can do to push the sale of the Tread edition will appreciate,
however it is doing fine. Just had letter from publishers
today telling me they were doing the 3rd printing now, and
were well pleased with the sale and felt it would be one of
those that would go on for several years. Am glad for the
boy who wrote it - he needs it - will have to see the jacket
of the trade edition to see what the publishers say about the
Author - he is [same] age as my oldest son. Yes - that was
once when we both might have made some money if had known
anything about copyright laws at that time - but all I know
have had to learn the hard way. About every thing I guess.
Do write me, will be expecting. Would like to know what you
and your family think of the book. Am proud - yet say it
very humbly. Am still a hero to both my boys. Possibly
that isn't so bad.
5/05/43 Father's note to EC enclosing a clipping from house
organ of Lone Star Gas Co.: "This is the boy who at the age
of 1 1/2 yrs. was in a critical condition until you correctly
diagnosed his ailment." See Source File Key #4468 for the
article entitled "Vivid Account of Spectacular Naval Battle
Recorded in Heat of Fight by Chief Yeoman Gordon Putnam."
5/30/51 Sister Mildred Forbes' report:
MY BROTHER'S CASE
In about the year 1909 when my brother, Gordon, was 18 months
old, he became seriously ill. The doctors thought there was
an infection in the knee joint, for he cried whenever he put
any weight on his right leg and finally could not walk at
all. Just before the reading was given it was becoming
painful for him to sit up. His knee was badly swollen and
inflamed and the doctors were planning to put his leg in a
cast.
When it was evident that the doctors were not helping him,
my mother was in touch with my father, who was in Joplin,
Missouri teaching in a summer school, and he immediately
contacted Mr. Cayce, asking him to please find out what
was wrong with Gordon. No specific questions were asked.
Mr. Cayce was in Bowling Green, my father in Joplin, and my
mother and the three boys (Gordon being the baby) were in
Fort Worth, Texas. A reading was promptly received by my
mother, giving a detailed explanation of what was wrong and
how it could be corrected. There were several closely typed
pages.
It seemed that the trouble originated in the liver and would
require osteopathic treatments. Since my mother had been
raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky, she decided to take Gordon
back there to Dr. Posey, an osteopath whom she had known all
her life. Upon arriving in Bowling Green, she contacted Dr.
Posey and asked him to look at Gordon. He examined him and
said that his liver was just about twice the size it should
be. She showed him the reading and he laughed and said,
"Well, Cayce never misses." He gave him a treatment
immediately and continued as directed. After several
treatments, Gordon was almost normal again and was soon
walking as wall as ever.
I do not know whether Mr. Cayce kept copies of these
readings, but our own were lost with two boxes of freight
shipments of books, pictures, etc. in moving from Fort
Worth to Little Rock, Arkansas.
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation