To William Bowen
23 July 1871 • Elmira, N.Y.
(MS: ViU, UCCL 00639))

Elmira, July 23.

Dear Will:

I have been offered [ $5 $150] a night to talk 30 consecutive nights in Missouri & Kansas, but declined, partly because it was not enough & partly because I don’t like so much railroad travel. I may talk in St Louis if my agents have already made a contract to that effect, but I hope they have not; for I have concluded to go no further west than Cleveland. Eastern railroading is easier & wages higher in the east than ‸in‸ the west. I am not particularly particular, but every man’s duty is to keep up the prices of his s trade, & so I would not like to talk in as large a place as St Louis for less than $250. The other lecturers have never yet had to accuse me of cutting down the wages. I only want to talk 3 months & a half, & so, I think the east better suited to a short season than a long one. I mean to talk ten months on a stretch if I ever start again—which I do hope I never shall.1

The legislature that gave you a franchise permitting any such By-Law as the one you mention, was an ass.2

Good! Let us know, see you in Sept.3

My wife is well, but the baby is seriously ill.

Ys

Sam.

Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

Editorial Signs

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1 See 12 June 71 to Bowen.

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2 “‘If the law supposes that, . . . the law is a ass’” (Oliver Twist, chapter 51). The “By-Law” has not been identified, but presumably affected the insurance business. Bowen was still working in St. Louis as an agent for the Phoenix Insurance Company (6 Feb 70 to Bowen, n. 1).

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3 The planned visit never took place.

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

MS, Clifton Waller Barrett Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville (ViU).

Previous publication: L4, 438.

Provenance:The MS was evidently owned at least until 1921 by Dora C. Bowen, William Bowen’s second wife (signed statement dated 16 Oct 1921, ViU). It was deposited at ViU by Clifton Waller Barrett on 17 December 1963.

Emendations and textual notes:

$5 $150 • $5150 [ ‘5’ partly formed]