Your letter is very blind. Bed-clamp man’s “estimate of expense” is $1200 for year exclusive of advertising; ◊◊◊◊ “a salary” for him of “$1000 & expenses.” Now who can guess what you mean by that. Do you mean that the first year will cost $2200 & a double bill of “Expenses” added?

Try again. Tabulate the expenses of all kinds, in an intelligible way. And state some idea of what that entire expense will be, in dollars & cents; for “& expenses” means nothing.

And also state some idea of what his year’s work will bring in, judging by the past.

Also, have some arrangement in the contract (if one is made,) whereby we may name the price the things are to be sold at; or in lieu of this, that the present retail price shall be doubled; otherwise there is no profit possible on the business.

Try again.

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I think I telegraphed Rice that if you had not returned within a day, Mr. Bromfield might then give Rice a chapter. A telegram came back from Rice within the hour saying Mr. Bromfield had decided not to wait for you. Is Mr. B. armed with authority to trample my orders under his feet? If so, you had better discharge him at once.

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Pond? I will fill no engagement after Feb. 28. I have said it already some 500,000 times.

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You want to make a list like this, & stick it on the wall where you can see it when you go to bed & when you get up:

For weekly report: Concerning—

Historical Game.

Perpetual Calendar.

Osgood’s Quarterly Statement.

Am. Pub. Co. “ “

Slote & Co — “ “

Bed–clamp man.

Am. Exchange in Europe.

––––

––––

––––

&c &c &c. So that I can know, by a word, once a week, what is doing, without having to write & enquire.

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If you have allowed Rice to keep that chapter, you will charge him 6 cents a word for the use of it. He offered me $150 for what a magazine would pay me $100. The Century would pay id me 4 ½ cents a word for Huck Finn—the same price as for original matter. But I if Rice played any sharp game (which is very unlikely, for he is a gentleman,) I hope he did not get a chance to keep the chapter.