[Includes autograph corrections; in slipcase.]

[Instructs him to have 2 Ferris blocks engraved as soon as they come in; suggest having 2 engravers do them as they must be ready in January.]

[Thanks him for notes and favors; instructs him how to forward his mail to Philadelphia; mentions article that will appear in the Midsummer number, a "Letter-Box" item by the daughter of Benson John Lossing , and Amalie LaForge . ]

[Apologizes for sending the proofs late; points out that he introduced " The Baby Camel , " " Prairie-dog's Home , " and " Prairie Wolf "; criticizes animal drawing by [William Holbrook] Beard and specifies 3 drawings he disagrees with, should any pictures have to be omitted.] (incomplete)

[Says he had a delightful trip to the Bahamas and is enjoying Florida ; reports on letters lost in forwarding; inquires about fees for " Sam Clemson " and " The Lion "; asks for reading material to be sent to him in Jacksonville ; sends regards to "immortals of 743"; says he is anxious to see St. Nicholas magazine which he cannot get in Florida . ]

[Acknowledges receipt of manuscripts which he will revise; inquires about the $100 English serial he is to revise; declines invitation to Carnival; asks him to come see a permanent exhibition in Philadelphia , 1905 Broad St.]

[Returns a corrected, shortened proof; refers to a Russian story in the possession of Mary Mapes Dodge ; mentions batch of electro-work he sent to Clarke and his need of money.]

[Includes two 1 1/2 page manuscripts requested by [Mary Mapes] Dodge ; mentions that he has 3 Scannell pictures, but no manuscript yet.]

[Refers to revised manuscripts he has sent to William Fayal Clarke 's office, the charge being $53; asks him to hand Clarke a letter when he returns from vacation.]

[Says he is leaving for Europe rather suddenly without having revised manuscripts; advises him to repage and shorten them; discusses social matters.]

[Sends requested address; promises to write about schedules, etc.; wants drawing of the expression on a boy's face, which is to appear changed in a story.]

[Speaks about a frontispiece which he finds improved; leaves the execution of his ideas, by process or wood, to Alexander William Drake ; says he will discuss "schedule" when coming in on Wednesday.]

[Talks about stories and illustrations to appear in St. Nicholas ; agrees to some formats and suggests some changes; leaves decision about frontispiece to Alexander Wilson Drake . ]

[Says he will have requested story by mid-December and it will be divided into 5 chapters of about 2000 words each.]

[Discusses changes and omissions on proof for July; mentions contributors Trowbridge, Dodge, Richards, and Foote.] (On St. Nicholas stationary)

[Announces his visit for July 3.] (On St. Nicholas stationary)

[Endorses a note to [Mary Mapes] Dodge ; requests to be sent all manuscripts that have to be read; says he has time for manuscript work right now.]

[Acknowledges receipt of proofs; says they will be take care of promptly.]

[Criticizes proof of a portrait; finds it worse that the photograph; makes suggestions for the January edition of "A. J. F." in regard to manuscripts and drawings; talks about the December edition; suggests insertions; feels upset about rumors regarding his health; says he won the championship-badge at the Archery Club ; writes with a quill from an eagle's wing and promises to send such a quill to him.]

[Says he will leave for Charlottesville, Virginia next week; gives instructions for forwarding the valise with manuscripts via Adam's Express , which is faster and more reliable than United States [mail]; feels ill; intends to spend time in the Blue Ridge Mountains ; promises to send the electro-stories; asks if the new edition of Rudder Grange has appeared.]

[Wonders if his mail has been sent to Europe ; misses the June number of St. Nicholas ; reports on his illness in Florida ; finds Venice enchanting, urges him to take his bride there; mentions letter his wife received from [Mary Mapes] Dodge ; asks if he ought to do more for St. Nicholas ; requests Mr. Smith's address; states that letters sent to him have been lost.]

[Regrets that he did not write The Lion and the Lamb , which he received a request for a copy of; talks about David Douglas ' idea to publish his collected short stories; mentions a check Douglas sent him before he sold a single copy of Rudder Grange ; recalls meeting him in Florence ; mentions suggestion to write "The Candid Adventurer," but does not feel up to it.]

[Talks about their travels through Switzerland , their 2 days on the Rigi , their plans a trip to the Rhine , England , and Scotland , and then home to America ; says he will write requested article and furnish photographs; mentions idea for serial story, set in Rome , Venice and various parts of Italy and Switzerland , for children, for St. Nicholas if the publishers want it; looks forward to promised letter; mentions having spent several days wit Mr. and Mrs. Roswell Smith and Dr. Robinson.]

[Says the Century Company 's request for an occasional story for The Independent cannot be complied with at once, because he is otherwise engaged; promises to write a story of 8 to 10 columns when time allows; asks fee of $100 for a story of that length.]

[Encloses " A Penny Walk " for The Independent ; instructs him on where to divide the story should it be necessary to publish it in 2 installments; hopes story will be liked.]

[Regrets not being able to meet him at this time; says he will be back in New York the following week and spend the winter there; promises a humorous story for February, if not sooner.]

[Authorizes him to deposit Stockton's vote of favor of admitting William Fayal Clarke to membership, as he is unable to attend the Author's Club meeting.]

[Expresses disappointment that an important part of the manuscript The Demon Plague was lost while in McClure's possession; includes attempted replacement which was exceedingly difficult to write; discusses another sketch; points out where his portrait, to accompany the sketch, can be obtained.]

[Asks him to send a proof to his new house in Madison, New Jersey and to come visit there when he comes that way.]

[Thanks the company for letter containing royalty accounts and money; refers to The Dusantes which appears in 3 parts in The Century ; assumes the story will be printed by the Century Company in book form in 1888; wishes the company luck with his books; acknowledges receipt of copies of his books; says he is pleased by their appearance.]

[Sends note to accompany paragraph for the McClure column.]

[Asks for the correction of a statement in a New York paper in regard to his travel intentions.]

[Informs him that he is unable to go to Chicago to read; promises to send an item for McClure syndicate; sends New Year's wishes.]

[Says he is unable to attend copyright meeting; promises to come to the next meeting on a Club-dinner night at the Aldine.]

[Promises to write a Christmas story for him, although he is very busy with The Squirrel Inn ; mentions " The Illinois Farmer " by Johnson.]

[Writes children's stories only occasionally now but is willing to write a ten thousand word piece for McClure's circular for $500; compliments him on his magazine for young people.]

[Congratulates him on the copyright victory; says that the authors of America owe Johnson everlasting gratitude; declares himself proud to be a citizen of the United States . ]

[Tells him that he has not been asked by anyone to take part in the reading on the 22nd; says he will be happy read, but only parts of Squirrel Inn ; says the same presentation was like by another audience; refers to European trip; congratulates him on hors received from France . ]

[Informs him that he will have to get permission to use The Great War Syndicate from Messrs. Dodd & Mead ; says he has talked to them about the matter.]

[Refers to a will, with property bequeathed to Stockton; explains how much he expects to get and what percentage should go to Johnson.]

[Discusses will of Stockton's great great great grandfather from New Jersey ; says it is authentic, but no possessions come with it and Johnson will get nothing in return for his endeavors.]

[Regrets not having been able to attend the meeting of the Council of the Copyright League ; says he is enjoying culinary and other delights of the Bayou country; intends to return to New Jersey by May 1.]

[Responds to request for his help in manning the Gotthold houseboat; suggests "The Halcyon," and "The Angler."]

[Sends manuscript of " A Sailor's Knot " for $850, giving him all the serial rights in the United States in Europe with the stipulation not to offer it to American monthlies; says the story had been written for Ladies Home Journal of Philadelphia ; says he took it back after a disagreement with the editor.]

[Agrees to lend a hand in the compilation of the New Library of Literature , provided the new duties will not interfere with his present engagements; says he cannot do any editorial work, only assist in choosing authors for the series.]

[Requests payment of $500 for " The Conscious Armada , " published in Cosmopolitan in June; reminds him of the terms agreed upon; says that if " The Conscious Armada " was shorter than average, it was evened out by " The Cot and the Rill " which was much longer than average; insists on $500 for each story published.]

[Relates a strange dream, pertaining to his writing of humorous stories; comments on letter from Johnson, received the day after the dream, in which Johnson requests another humorous story; says he is glad that Johnson liked Pomona's Travels , he is pleased with illustrations by Mr. Steele.]

[Requests meeting to discuss story, ready to print, of about 30800 words; says it could be divided into 5 segments to be published in newspapers; asks to see a notice from the Commercial Advertiser . ]

[Says he is in bed "with a ten pound boil"; expects to be all right soon; asks him to keep his mail in the office unless something looks very important.]

[Regrets not being able to come to a benefit in New York ; hopes to get better acquainted with Mr. Riggs in the future.]

["Without the slightest hesitation . . ."]