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[First published in East and West Poemsby James R. Osgood & Co., 1871.]

[Offering to give him as much of his time as possible; discussing the character "Luke" and describing him as "a good-natured, simple-minded frontiersman"; and detailing the structuring of a poem and how it may be recited as rhyme and rhythm are two great aids to the memory..."]

[The writing on the draft is extremely faded, and the transcript follows:

New York. April 26th, 1875

One day after sight please pay to the order of myself Twenty Five Dollars and charge to use of Bret Harte.

To: [Elisha] Bliss Jr.
American Publishing Co.
Hartford, Conn[ecticut]

[Asks where and when he can see Bliss' father on Monday and requests his address.]

[Writes concerning the rehearsals and performances of his play Two Men of Sandy Bar, that the play "as rehearsed this week and played tonight is the acting copy I delivered to Mr. [Robrae]. The changes in the Chicagorepresentation and the omission of an entrie, were made without my knowledge or consent, tho' exactly the reverse of this statement appeared in the TimesSunday. I beg you will see that I alone am held responsible for the play acted tonight. If it is bad it is my fault. Except the usual small cutting by the acting manager nothing has been done to it, and all this talk of its having been revised by other playwrights is bosh!"]

[Harte thanks Payn for the "expedition with which the honorary membership was put through." Harte was serving as the Consul of the United States at Glasgow during this time and he may have been referring to membership in the Rabelais Clubin Great Britain. ]

[This letter was written while Harte was serving as U.S. consul in Scotland. Harte sends Christmas greetings to his wife and family with a draft for one hundred dollars to spend on Christmas gifts for themselves. He was in Londonmeeting with the Consul General when he mailed the draft but hoped to get back to Glasgowin time to catch the Christmas mail.]

[Writes concerning her book about the relationship between Bret Harteand Mark Twainand requests copies of Bret Hartephotographs.]

[Cautions Dana to secure the copyright for Harte's "Thankful Blossoms" because of the danger of literary pirates and his desire to protect his legal rights in the subsequent publication of the book.]