Dear Charley—

If the book business interferes with the dramatic business, drop the former—for it doesn’t pay salt; & I want the latter rushed. If you’ll pay that Sunday Mercury man $25 for the information we want, you can probably get it in 10 hours.

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I have been talking with Barrett, & he thinks it will be a mistake on Raymond’s part if he lets this play go to somebody else, & a mistake on my part at the same time. He wanted me to wait till he could talk with Raymond.

Now therefore, step in at 1 East 28th street, & if Barrett is at home, ask him if $400 if he believes Raymond will pay $400 a week for the use of this play. It may well be that that is more than an actor of R’s reputation should be asked to pay; but at the same time it is as low as I can afford.

According to his answer, make Raymond the offer, & let me know the result.

⟦The reason I say $400 per week is because I wish to let out the play by the week & not so much per night. If it is a successful play I want it played exclusively while it pays to so play it, & stop when it ceases to so pay. This would be no hardship to R., & no injustice to either of us.⟧

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But I expect nothing in this matter, so I want to be on the lookout for another candidate. You were to visit the theatres upon this quest? Have you done it?—& what is the result? I have tried Boston—didn’t think much of those comedians.

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Ask Wall where Jimmy Lewis is playing (he used to be in Daly’s 5th Avenue Company.)Ⓐemendation

And also ask him where N. C. Goodwin is playing. This is a young fellow who made something of a strike as the grave-diggerⒶemendation in Hamlet at the Cincinnati festival a year or two ago. Barrett might give you an opinion about him.

Now I want to come down & see somebody play, the minute you can name me a man.