May 11 Tuesday – Sam went to New York with the modified Sellers as Scientist manuscript. Sam telegraphed Howells, probably to inform him of the meeting the next day with Burbank and Sam’s attorneys to finalize the agreement for the play (telegram not extant).

Meanwhile, in Boston, Howells wrote to Sam c/o Webster & Co., with the instruction on the envelope, “Find him and deliver immediately. W.D. Howells.” The letter did not reach Sam in New York, but was forwarded to Hartford [MTHL 2: 558 notes]. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Says give it to Burbank to read in public” [MTP]. Howells wrote:

L..       Withdraw the play absolutely, as you have a right to do, on the ground that it needs revision which we can’t now give it; making what terms you can with the manager.

 II. Then, if Burbank feels himself compromised or injured by the withdrawal, promise to give it to him, after we’ve gone over it, to read next winter. He can do that well, and as a special card in his own line, he can probably get more out of it than he could as an actor without the chances of failure [558].