University of Virginia Library

II. Papers

A. Manuscripts of Published Novels

• 1. "Men Working," pp. 1-312. The original typescript, marked for the printer and bearing in the upper

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  left corner, p. 1, the typed legend, "John Faulkner, III / Oxford, Mississippi."
• 1 a. "By Their Fruits," pp. 1-312 (published as Men Working). A carbon copy of Item II A 1, marked in red.
• 2. "Dollar Cotton," pp. 1-338. The original typescript, marked for the printer, bearing in the upper left corner, p. 1, the legend, "John Faulkner / Oxford, Mississippi."
• 2 a. Two alternative endings for Dollar Cotton bound together in black paper binder: pp. 329-334, original typescript and one carbon copy; and pp. 302-335, original typescript and one carbon copy. The first ends with the burial of Otis Towne as in item II A 2, but his death is set in New York; the second has final scene of Mammy praying as Wee Boy is lynched.
• 3. "Chooky," pp. 1-304. Original typescript, with the legend "by his father" beneath the title and holograph corrections, on yellow second sheets.
• 3 a. "Chooky," pp. 1-346. Original typescript, marked for printer and bearing in the upper left corner, p. 1, the legend, "John Faulkner / Oxford, Mississippi." Includes a table of contents. Pages have been renumbered.
• 3 b. "Chooky," pp. 1-346, with discarded pp. 344-346 in addition. A carbon copy of Item II 3 a marked for revision.
• 4. "Cabin Road," pp. 1-238. Original typescript marked for printer, with the title "Side Road" scored through and "Cabin Road" written over. The legend "John Faulkner" appears beneath the title. The pages are renumbered from p. 182, and proofs of the title page and dedication accompany the manuscript.
• 4 a. "Side Road," pp. 1-284. A carbon copy of, apparently, the first draft of Item II A 4, bearing in the upper left corner, p. 1, the legend, "John Faulkner / Oxford, Mississippi."
• 4 b. "Side Road," fragments. 9 pp. of original typescript marked for revision; 64 pp. of original typescript, partly renumbered; 7 pp. of carbon copy; and 23 pp. of carbon copy.
• 5. "Uncle Good's Girls," pp. 1-236. Original typescript, marked for printer, with title "Kingdom Come" scored through and "Uncle Good's Girls" written over, bearing in upper left corner, p. 1, the legend, "John Faulkner / Oxford, Mississippi."
• 5 a. "Kingdom Come," pp. 1-236. A carbon copy of Item II A 5 without the change of title.
• 5 b. "Uncle Good's Girls," fragment. pp. 15-15a of original typescript, crossed out.
• 6. "The Sin Shouter of Cabin Road," pp. 1-225. A carbon copy on which the title "Uncle Good's Bedtime Story" has been marked out and "The Sin Shouter of Cabin Road" written over.
• 6 a. "The Sin Shouter of Cabin Road," fragments. Original typescript on yellow second sheets numbered 71-78, pertaining to Chapters 6 and 7 of the published novel.

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• 7. "It Ain't Going to Rain No More," pp. 1-225. Carbon copy of the novel published as Ain't Gonna Rain No More with cover letters to "Dear Ivan [van Auw]," John Faulkner's agent, and to "Dear Dick [Carroll]," his editor at Fawcett, both dated 12 November 1958, concerning changes they had requested.
• 8. "Found Weekend," pp. 1-187. Carbon copy of the novel published as Uncle Good's Week-End Party, bearing in upper left corner, p. 1, the legend, "John Faulkner / Oxford, Mississippi."

B. Manuscripts of Published Stories

• 1. "Success," pp. 1-4. A carbon copy of the typescript.
• 2. "Progress Report," pp. 1-22. Original typescript with one carbon copy, with title "Worker's Pride" marked out and "Progress Report" written over.
• 3. "Lawd! Lawd!" pp. 1-15. A carbon copy.
• 4. "Good Neighbors," pp. 1-21. Original typescript with one carbon copy, with the title "Uncle Pete" marked out and "Good Neighbors" written over.
• 5. "Treasure Trail," pp. 1-18. Original typescript with one carbon copy, with the title "Siete Pistole" marked out and "Treasure Trail" written over.
• 6. "Lana," pp. 1-7. The original typescript.
• 7. "Hill Justice," pp. 1-19. Original typescript and one carbon copy, both on onionskin.

C. Manuscripts of Published Nonfiction (books).

• 1. "My Brother Bill," pp. [1-354.] Original typescript marked for printer, with the chapters numbered separately.

D. Manuscripts of Published Nonfiction (articles).

• 1. "The American People," pp. 1-5. A carbon copy.
• 2. "The Old Church," pp. [1-2]. A carbon copy.
• 3. "This Business of Writing," pp. [1-8]. A carbon copy accompanied by a carbon copy of a letter dated 4 November 1941 to Rich's Department Store, Atlanta.

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E. Manuscripts of Unpublished Books and Fragments (novels and nonfiction).

• 1. "Beat Six," pp. 1-325. A carbon copy, bearing in the upper left corner, p. 1, the legend, "John Faulkner / Oxford, Mississippi." The original typescript, which we have not examined, is at this writing in the hands of the literary agent, Scott Meredith. "Beat Six" is a serious novel of the murderous politics of Beat Two; written probably in 1939, it was John Faulkner's first novel.
• 2. "So Fades the Rose," pp. [1-41], an unpaginated fragment. Original typescript on yellow second sheets, apparently part of a novel concerning twin brothers, unlike but sympathetic, one of whom returns to a town like Oxford where he is haunted by his ancestors. Probably one of John Faulkner's earliest ventures in fiction.
• 3. "Uncle Tom's Tent," five fragments. The fragments are as follows: (a) "Uncle Tom's Tent," pp. 1-87 comprising the first eight chapters of a novel; original typescript on yellow second sheets with holograph revisions, including one additional sheet, numbered 46, which is a version of p. 60 of the fragment in question. (b) "Uncle Tom's Tent," pp. 1-4 of a version of Chapter 1 above; a carbon copy. (c) "Tent City," pp. 1-19 comprising a version of Chapters 1 and 2 above; a carbon copy. (d) an untitled fragment, pp. 13-29, comprising a version of part of Chapter 2 and all of Chapter 3 above; original typescript in red on yellow second sheets. (a) an untitled fragment, pp. 3-4, from a version of Chapter 1 above; original typescript on yellow second sheets. References to the published novels in the Beat Two series suggest that these fragments represent the beginning of a sixth which was to enlarge the scope by bringing the Beat Two characters into town, where the Federal Government seeks to aid dispossessed Negro tenant farmers from a large cotton plantation in the western part of the county, a very different world from the hills of Beat Two.
• 4. "Mississippi Hill Country," pp. 2-241. A carbon copy, the first 8 pp. mutilated, of a history of the hill country. An uneven work, this contains descriptive passages of great simplicity and charm which parallel the scenes which John Faulkner painted and explicit statements of his views as to the heritage and character of the hillman who is the grand subject of his fiction.
• 4 a. "Mississippi Hill Country," pp. 1-29. Original typescript, comprising a short Foreword and Chapters 1 and 2, apparently the beginning of a revision of the work.

F. Manuscripts of Unpublished Articles

• 1. "Early Birds," pp. 1-3. A carbon copy of a sketch of William Faulkner as a boy in 1910 building an airplane.
• 2. "The Home Front." Original typescript with one carbon copy of eight short human-interest incidents during World War II.
• 3. "Man's Sovereign Right," pp. [1-4]. Original typescript; an attack on alleged abuses of the vote.

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• 4. "Maturity in American Literature," pp. [1-7]. A carbon copy of an essay asserting that American literature has reached maturity through experience of successive wars.
• 5. "We the People of Oxford," pp. [1-8]. A carbon copy of an essay invoking the charm of Oxford and expressing reactions to the riot which occurred at the University of Mississippi in 1962.
• 6. "Self respect — intruding where not wanted," pp. [1-7]. Original typescript of essay on white-Negro relations after Reconstruction.
• 7. Untitled, pp. [1-4]. Original typescript on old letterhead of Ramey & Co., Mrs. John Faulkner's family's firm, of an essay lamenting the passing of the agrarian era.

G. Manuscripts of Unpublished Short Stories Beat Two Themes

• 1. "The Best Laid Plans," pp. 1-15. Original typescript with one copy; the coming of age and rejection of responsibility by a Beat Two youth.
• 2. "Buzzard in My Barn," pp. 1-13. Two carbon copies; tall tale about a Beat Two type who tries to get a buzzard out of his barn by tying dynamite to the bird. We have from several sources the impression that this was published but have not been able to verify it. The absence of the original typescript suggests the impression may be correct.
• 3. "Certified and on the WPA," pp. 1-26. Original typescript with one copy, bearing the legend, "John Falkner III"; about Old Man Borden who gets on the W. P. A. rolls by fraud.
• 4. "It All Depends on the Point of View," pp. 1-30. Original typescript with two copies; sentimental story of the friendship of Uncle Dan and Johnny, aged 12.
• 5. "Long Range Planning," pp. 1-17. Original typescript with one copy; about Steve, a Beat Two type, outfoxing bureaucrats in Washington.
• 6. "Mr. Carter Goes to Town Too," pp. 1-19. Original typescript on yellow second sheets accompanied by a revision on white sheets; about an incompetent who is promoted by W. P. A. until he has disastrous influence all the way back down the line.
• 7. "Obadiah Number 158," pp. 1-27. Original typescript with one copy; concerning a boy from Beat Two and his mother reporting for duty at Camp Stewart during World War II.
• 8. "The Sheriff Buys an Election," pp. 1-3. Original typescript with one copy; "John Falkner III" corrected to "John Faulkner" on the original; an undeveloped sketch related to the political scenes in the Beat Two novels.

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• 9. "Side Road," pp. 1-15. Original typescript with one copy; the title was John Faulkner's first choice for the novel published as Cabin Road, and this story concerns the mistaken delivery of a washing machine to Jones Peabody, a major character in the Beat Two series.
• 10. "Tit for Tat," pp. 1-23. Original typescript with one copy; further doings of the hill types on W. P. A., rather unsympathetically given from the point of view of their Supervisor, who is autobiographical.
• 11. "Treasure Hunt," pp. 1-14. A carbon copy; townspeople rush out on hearing that a map showing buried treasure has been discovered by Jones Peabody. This is a version of material used in Uncle Good's Week-End Party.
• 12. "The WPA Goes on Strike," pp. 1-24. Original typescript with one copy; about the Supervisor trying to cope with his disastrous crew of hill types.
• 13. Untitled, pp. [1-12]. Original typescript on yellow second sheets beginning "The decrepit old Model T bucked its way . . ."; tale of a Beat Two youth in love with the daughter of a snobbish town couple.

Negro Themes

• 14. "All Is Not Gold That Blisters," pp. 1-47. Original typescript; Cud'n Frank and his gal come from Memphis and involve respectable John Henry in digging for treasure. Negro dialect framed in genteel narration.
• 14 a. Untitled. A 5½" x 7" Write-Right tablet, unnumbered with the backs of some of the lined sheets used, printed by John Faulkner partly in ink and partly in pencil; beginning, "John Henry, respected member of his community . . .," it is a version of the preceding item.
• 15. "Dark-Skinned Loyalty," pp. 1-22. A carbon copy; Old Walter, a realistically drawn Negro, saves the situation for his disagreeable white employer not for the employer's sake but for his own. Bears the legend, "John Falkner, III."
• 16. "Dropping the Pigeon," pp. 1-17. A carbon copy; Negro dialect tale of two Memphis Negroes who attempt to con their country cousins.
• 17. "Infested with the Glory," pp. 1-21. Original typescript with one copy; a dialect tale of a Negro preacher who outdices a sinner.
• 18. "Uncle Henry's Blitzkrieg," pp. 1-23. A carbon copy; a slapstick tale of an encounter between an old Negro man and the general commanding an army on maneuvers in Louisiana.

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• 19. Untitled, pp. [1-17]. Original typescript beginning, "Beat Two lay parched beneath the August sun . . ."; a realistic tale about how young Elihue forces old Uncle Jim to consent to his marrying Uncle Jim's daughter and sharing Uncle Jim's bootleg whiskey monopoly.
• 20. Untitled, pp. [1-12]. Original typescript, beginning "Briarfield Farms lay in the extreme northeast corner of the county . . ."; about horse trading.
• 21. Untitled, pp. [1-18]. Original typescript, beginning, "Uncle Jim, wizened and grayish black, a student of black magic . . ."; how Uncle Jim tries to mislead his employer's brother, an F. B. I. agent, concerning bootleg whiskey operations.

Chooky Themes

• 22. "Business Lesson," pp. 1-18. A carbon copy; an episode used in Chooky, as are the following, differing substantially from parallel passages in the published work.
• 23. "The Chase," pp. 1-16. A carbon copy.
• 24. "Chooky," pp. 1-18. Original typescript.
• 25. "Chooky — by his father," pp. 1-21. Original typescript, bearing the legend, "John Falkner, III."
• 26. "Fourth Estate," pp. 1-15. A carbon copy.
• 27. "Girls," pp. 1-14. Original typescript.
• 28. "Suffer Little Children," pp. 1-17. A carbon copy.

Town Themes

• 29. "Best Laid Plans," pp. 1-19. A carbon copy; a fat boy visits his aunt in Memphis and proves to be more sympathetic than she anticipated.
• 30. "The Crisis," pp. 1-14. Original typescript with one copy; tension between a couple over the expense of maintaining the wife's father.
• 31. "The Colonel Acquires Ancestors," pp. 1-15. Original typescript with one copy; a fake Southern colonel marries the lady of the manor.

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• 32. "Drama in Everyday Life," pp. 1-2. Original typescript with alternative title, "Charity Work"; about a mercenary physician and a Beat Two charity patient.
• 33. "Feud," pp. 1-16. Original typescript; humorous account of a feud between a man and a dog to which is attached an anecdote about the mutual dependence of two feuding men.
• 34. "Good People," pp. 1-18. Original typescript; sentimental anecdote of boy whose dog is threatened with extermination after biting a man.
• 35. "Gunboat at Vicksburg," pp. 1-22. Original typescript with one copy marked "Retired 4/20/43" apparently by literary agent; tale of opposition of lady survivor of Civil War to marriage of her grand-daughter to a Yankee.
• 36. "Hands Other," pp. 1-16. Original typescript with one copy; how an unnerved brain surgeon regains the ability to operate.
• 37. "Homefolks," pp. 1-3. Original typescript; anecdote of an encounter between two Mississippians, one white and one black, in the Washington Zoo.
• 38. "Manpower Problem," pp. 1-16. A carbon copy; Henry starts to Washington to relieve the manpower crisis but gets no further than the bus station.
• 39. "Ollie Makes a Point," pp. 1-18. Original typescript with one copy; the undoing of an unscrupulous prosecutor and a county political boss.
• 40. "Peep-Peep," pp. [1-19]. Original typescript; about trying to raise chickens.
• 41. "A Perfect Day," pp. 1-16. Original typescript; Henry, who writes, interferes with the housework.
• 42. "Story without a Hero," pp. 1-26. Original typescript with one copy; a couple disagree on discipline only to see their son grow up delinquent. Bears the legend, "John Falkner III."

Aviation Themes

• 43. "Booger Red," pp. 1-16. Original typescript with one copy; about a boy learning to fly in leftover World War I planes.
• 44. "Greater Love Hath No Man," pp. 1-18. Original typescript with one copy bearing the legend, "John Falkner, III"; two boys learn to fly together but compete for the same girl.

World War II Themes

• 45. "As You Sow," pp. 1-15. Original typescript with one copy; a German pilot murders an American pilot and assumes his identity.
• 46. "Christmas in the Deep South, 1942," pp. 1-3. Original typescript; about the effect of the death of a hillman's son in the war.
• 47. "A Cross Can Stand for Victory Too," pp. 1-24. Original typescript with one copy, marked "Retired 10/16/44," about a French priest crucified by Germans.
• 48. "England, I Give This Cigarette," pp. 1-15. Original typescript with one copy, marked "Retired 4/20/43"; detection and pursuit of a German spy who has insinuated himself into a British bomber group.
• 49. "Gold Braid," pp. 1-17. Original typescript with one copy, marked "Retired 10/26/43"; the love of braid motivates a junior Navy officer.
• 50. "Leave It to Bill," pp. 1-16. Two carbon copies; about an artilleryman who is all thumbs.
• 51. "See You on the Beach," pp. 1-13. Original typescript with one copy, marked "Retired 11/8/46"; Navy buddies quarrel but are reconciled in heroic death.
• 52. "Semper Fidelis," pp. 1-22. Original typescript with one copy, marked "Retired 4/20/43"; cynical veterans of World War I prove dependable under Japanese attack.
• 53. "Staff Work," pp. 1-23. A carbon copy; slapstick tale of a curmudgeon commanding an army on maneuvers.
• 54. "Stronger than the Oak Tree," pp. 1-16. Original typescript with two copies; the parting of an English couple after Dunkirk so she may take their child to safety in America.
• 55. "Those Who Know," pp. 1-5. A carbon copy; anecdote of patriotic responses of a farm family.
• 56. "Noblesse Oblige," pp. 1-3. A carbon copy; about Marine esprit de corps.