To
William Dean Howells 5 May 1877 • Hartford, Conn.(MS: CU-MARK,
UCCL01425) (SUPERSEDED)
UCLC47141
enclosure:
Keokuk, May 2, 1877.
My Dear Brother:—
I enclose a picture of the leech that draws the blood that Col. Sellers makes.
I went to all the job offices in town this morning, and meant to go to the Gate City
(morning paper) but found
that three or four subs were watching the Constitution—an evening paper—for a chance, and
became discouraged. I left my address to be sent for if there should be a spurt.anywhere. It seemed like Sunday all round.
In your absorption preparing your new play I suppose you forgot me this quarter. If
you can spare me the usual
checks I will get Judge Newman at the August term to appoint me to assist in defending
some scoundrel for misdemeanor or felony (the
latter penitentiary, the former under that degree) OC’s parenthetical
remark underlined by SLC, with accompanying comment in margin: the legal instinct to
explain. and see what luck I can have in criminal practice. I see bigger fools than I am sit
to be prosecuting or district
attorneys and get good wages. It seems improbable, but it is so.
Love to all,
Your Brother,
Orion.
When the papers say anything about your play can’t you send it to me? I hear of things
here,
vaguely. I never see anything.
in top margin of second
page:
Here is as pathetic a conjunction, Howells, as ever was: this forced hilarity & this
broken-heartedⒶemendation face.
2½ years civil “practice” has yielded him just one case. He will try criminal law, now, poor fellow.
MTHL , 1:176–77.
See Howells Letters in Description of Provenanceclick to open letter.