and I am to do the same; we shall use the best of the two, or gouge from

both and build a third. My plot is built--finished it yesterday--six

days' work, 8 or 9 hours a day, and has nearly killed me.

Now the favor I ask of you is that you will have the words "Ah Sin, a

Drama," printed in the middle of a note-paper page and send the same to

me, with Bill. We don't want anybody to know that we are building this

play. I can't get this title page printed here without having to lie

so much that the thought of it is disagreeable to one reared as I have

been. And yet the title of the play must be printed--the rest of the

application for copyright is allowable in penmanship.

We have got the very best gang of servants in America, now. When George

first came he was one of the most religious of men. He had but one

fault--young George Washington's. But I have trained him; and now it

fairly breaks Mrs. Clemens's heart to hear George stand at that front

door and lie to the unwelcome visitor. But your time is valuable; I must

not dwell upon these things.....I'll ask Warner and Harte if they'll do

Blindfold Novelettes. Some time I'll simplify that plot. All it needs

is that the hanging and the marriage shall not be appointed for the

same day. I got over that difficulty, but it required too much MS to

reconcile the thing--so the movement of the story was clogged.

I came near agreeing to make political speeches with our candidate for

Governor the 16th and 23 inst., but I had to give up the idea, for Harte

and I will be here at work then.

Yrs ever,

410

The Letters Of Mark Twain, Complete