To William Dean Howells
13 March 1884 • Hartford, Conn.
(MS, in pencil: MH-H, UCCL 02935)

Mch 13/84.

My Dear Howells—

I have been dead to all interests of this life for 5 days with an unspeakable cold in the head; so I don’t know what’s been going on. I haven’t seen the any mention of the Prince & Pauper, but I take said mention to mean that Webster & Mallory have come to a conclusion of some sort or other concerning Col. Sellers, for the reason that Webster was not to let Mallory see the P & P or talk any business about it until the Sellers matter should be disposed of. Webster wanted to come up & report, progress a day or two ago, but I telegraphed him to come tomorrow. This gives my cold one more show to let up on me. If he goes on to Boston he will report to you also; & if he doesn’t, I’ll write you. And this report will doubtless decide you to see Raymond or not. If you s talk with him, tell him our plan of repeating Sellers once or twice more & establishing him permanently as the American character, to be used by future generations of authors & actors as that Italian character is.

Yrs Ever

Mark