An actor named D. H. Harkins has been here to ask me to put upon paper a 5-act play which he has been mapping out in his mind for 3 or 4 years. He sat down & told me his plot all through, in a clear, bright way, & I was a deal taken with it; but it is a line of characters whose fine shading & systemati artistic development require an abler hand than mine; so I easily perceived that I must not make the attempt. But I liked the man, & thought there was a good deal of stuff in him; & therefore I wanted his play to be written, & by a capable hand, too. So I suggested you, & said I would write & see if you would be willing to undertake it. If you like the idea, he will call upon you in the course of two or three weeks & describe his plot & his characters. Then if it don’t strike you favorably, of course you can simply decline; but it seems to me well worth while that you should hear what he has to say.1explanatory note You could also “average” him while he talks, & judge whether he could play your priest—though I doubt if any man can do that justice.2explanatory note

Shan’t I write him & say he may call? upon If you wish to communicate directly with him instead, his address is “Marchmont Manor, Westchester Co., N. Y.”

Do you know, the chill of that 19th of April3explanatory note seems to be in my bones yet? I am inert & drowsy all the time. That was villainous weather for a couple of wandering children to be out in.