Just had a ’phone message from S. L. C. saying how pleased she was with your letter to her.

I’m right with you on the question of the “home-like” system of having fun.  I think we’ll all agree beautifully on that.  I’ve had all the cheap bohemia that I want.  I can tell you, none of the “climbers” and the cocktail crowd are going to bring their vaporings into my house.  It’s for the clean, merry life, with your best friends in the game and a general concentration of energies and aims.  I am having a cedarwood club cut from the mountains with knots on it, and I am going to stand in my hallway (when I have one) and edit with it the cards of all callers.  You and Mrs. will have latchkeys, of course.

Yes, I think you’d better stay at the hotel—­Of course they’d want you out at Mrs. C’s.  But suppose we take Mrs. Hall out there, and you and I remain at the B. P. We’ll be out at the Cottage every day anyhow, and it’ll be scrumptious all round.

I’m simply tickled to death that “you all” are coming.

The protoplasm is in Heaven; all’s right with the world.  Pippa passes.

Yours as ever,
BILL.

FRIDAY.

My Dear Col.  Griffith: 

Keep your shirt on.  I found I had to re-write the story when it came in.  I am sending you part of it just so you will have something tangible to remind you that you can’t measure the water from the Pierian Spring in spoonfuls.

I’ve got the story in much better form; and I’ll have the rest of it ready this evening.

I’m sorry to have delayed it; but it’s best for both of us to have it a little late and a good deal better.

I’ll send over the rest before closing time this afternoon or the first thing in the morning.

In its revised form I’m much better pleased with it.

Yours truly,
SYDNEY PORTER.

      [Mr. Al.  Jennings, of Oklahoma City, was an early friend of
      O. Henry’s.  Now, in 1912, a prominent attorney, Mr. Jennings,
      in his youth, held up trains.]

28 W. 26.  N. Y. SUNDAY.

ALGIE JENNINGS, ESQ., THE WEST.

DEAR BILL: 

Glad you’ve been sick too.  I’m well again.  Are you?

Well, as I had nothing to do I thought I would write you a letter; and as I have nothing to say I will close.

How are ye, Bill?  How’s old Initiative and Referendum?  When you coming back to Manhattan?  You wouldn’t know the old town now.  Main Street is building up, and there is talk of an English firm putting up a new hotel.  I saw Duffy a few days ago.  He looks kind of thoughtful as if he were trying to calculate how much he’d have been ahead on Gerald’s board and clothes by now if you had taken him with you.  Mrs. Hale is up in Maine for a 3 weeks’ vacation.

Say, Bill, I’m sending your MS. back by mail to-day.  I kept it a little longer after you sent for it because one of the McClure & Phillips firm wanted to see it first.  Everybody says it is full of good stuff, but thinks it should be put in a more connected shape by some skilful writer who has been trained to that sort work.