Mrs. Clemens will decide in a day or two. WillⒶemendation that do? Meantime, many thanks for the invitation. She can go, if we can persuade the friend who is with us (Mrs. Fairbanks) to stay while we go.

Now as to Gebbie. He failed of his appointment yesterday (as usual.) He can make no more appointments with me.

(See page 2)

If he will treat with me through you, (if you are willing,) all right—but there ain’t any other way. If you will make a contract with him, for me, for that Cyclopedia, I will give you a commission of 2½ per cent on what I get out of it, if you are willing to take hold of the m thing.—if the terms are such as I can approve. I should want him to show that I would get $50,000, with a possibility of more, for it is a big, stupid, laborious piece of work.

OVERⒶemendation

It would be easier & pleasanter to write a book out of my own head. I would employ Howells to help me (but Giebbie would have nothing to do with paying him—that is my affair.) I should want Howells’s name to appear with mine, if Gebbie were willing—it costing G. nothing.

My idea was to charge Gebbie 70 per cent of the profits above cost of manufacture of the book—that is to propose 70 per cent., & then let him beat me down toward or to 50. Not unreasonable, since he probably expects to sell the book on my name rather more than on the contents. IⒶemendation should want G. to go & see you personally, instead of contracting by U. S. mail.

Are you willing? Shall I refer him to you?

And if you didn’t trade, couldn’t you get the whole job for Howells?