December 27 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster.

Dear Charley—We will lie low until Raymond has played his new piece in New York, & if it is not a promising success, we will go for him again, with a modified proposition. Lawrence Barret[t] strongly urges this, & gives good reason for it.

Meantime, hurry up that Sunday Mercury business, as apart of the preparation. Livy was delighted with the andirons. Merry Xmas to you all. P.S. Return me the MS of the play of “Col. Sellers” if you have it. SLC [MTBus 230].

In Boston, Howells wrote to Sam that he’d seen another actor for Colonel Sellers as a Scientist, well-known Henry E. Dixey (1859-1943). Did Sam wish Howells to See Dixey’s play? What had Sam learned from William Jermyn Florence? [MTHL 2: 459-60]. Note: Dixey, in the title role of Adonis, about a statue that came to life, became the top matinee idol of his time.

Charles Webster wrote about business matters: information they wanted from the Sunday Mercury of plays played by an unnamed actor; a bill in the Duncan suit matter; stock investments [MTP].