It seems to me that you ought to do better with it out there than you could here.  If you can get somebody out there to publish it it ought to sell all right.  N. Y. is a pretty cold proposition and it can’t see as far as the Oklahoma country when it is looking for sales.  How about trying Indianapolis or Chicago?  Duffy told me about the other MS sent out by your friend Abbott.  Kind of a bum friendly trick, wasn’t it?

Why don’t you get “Arizona’s Hand” done and send it on?  Seems to me you could handle a short story all right.

My regards to Mrs. Jennings and Bro.  Frank.  Write some more.

Still
BILL.

N. Y., May 23, ’05.

Dear Jennings: 

Got your letter all right.  Hope you’ll follow it soon.

I’d advise you not to build any high hopes on your book—­just consider that you’re on a little pleasure trip, and taking it along as a side line.  Mighty few MSS. ever get to be books, and mighty few books pay.

I have to go to Pittsburg the first of next week to be gone about 3 or 4 days.  If you decide to come here any time after the latter part of next week I will be ready to meet you.  Let me know in advance a day or two.

Gallot is in Grand Rapids—­maybe he will run over for a day or two.

In haste and truly yours,
W. S. P.

[It was hard to get O. Henry to take an interest in his books.  He was always eager to be at the undone work, to be writing a new story instead of collecting old ones.  This letter came from North Carolina.  It shows how much thought he gave always to titles.]

LAND O’ THE SKY, Monday, 1909.

My dear Colonel Steger:  As I wired you to-day, I like “Man About Town” for a title.

But I am sending in a few others for you to look at; and if any other suits you better, I’m agreeable.  Here they are, in preferred order: 

   The Venturers. 
   Transfers. 
   Merry-Go-Rounds. 
   Babylonica. 
   Brickdust from Babel. 
   Babes in the Jungle.

If none of these hit you right, let me know and I’ll get busy again.  But I think “Man About Town” is about the right thing.  It gives the city idea without using the old hackneyed words.

I am going to write you a letter in a day or so “touchin’ on and appertainin’ to” other matters and topics.  I am still improving and feeling pretty good.  Colonel Bingham has put in a new ash-sifter and expects you to come down and see that it works all right.

All send regards to you.  You seem to have made quite a hit down here for a Yankee.

Salutations and good wishes.

Yours,
S. P.

[This letter was found unfinished, among his papers after his death.  His publishers had discussed many times his writing of a novel, but the following letter constitutes the only record of his own opinions in the matter.  The date is surely 1909 or 1910.]

My Dear Mr. Steger:  My idea is to write the story of a man—­an individual, not a type—­but a man who, at the same time, I want to represent a “human nature type,” if such a person could exist.  The story will teach no lesson, inculcate no moral, advance no theory.