glad I went. Whitelaw Reid sat
on one side of Sir Henry Irving and Horace Porter on the other.
Howells and Warner came next. John Russell Young and Mark Twain,
Millet, Palmer, Hutton, Gilder and a lot more were there. There were
no newspaper men, not even critics nor actors there, which struck me as
interesting. The men were very nice to me. Especially Young, Reid,
Irving and Howells. Everybody said when I came in, "I used to know you
when you were a little boy," so that some one said finally, "What a
disagreeable little boy you MUST have been." I sat next a chap from
Brazil who told me lots of amusing things. One story if it is good
saves a whole day for me. One he told was of a German explorer to whom
Don Pedro gave an audience. The Emperor asked him, with some touch of
patronage, if he had ever met a king before. "Yes," the German said
thoughtfully; "five, three wild and two tame."

Mark Twain told some very funny stories, and captured me because I
never thought him funny before, and Irving told some about Stanley, and
everybody talked interestingly. Irving said he was looking forward to
seeing Dad when he reached Philadelphia. "It is nice to have seen
you," he said, "but I have still to see your father," as though I was
not enough. DICK.

NEW YORK, 1893.

DEAREST MOTHER:

I cannot tell you how touched and moved I was by the three initials in
the book. It was a genuine and complete surprise and when I came
across it while I was examining the letterpress with critical
approbation and with no idea of what was to come, it left me quite
breathless-- It was so sweet of you-- You understand me and I
understand you and you know how much that counts to me-- I think the
book is awfully pretty and in such good taste-- It is quite a delight
to the eye and I am much more keen about it than over any of my own-- I
have sent it to some of my friends but I have not read it yet myself,
as I am waiting until I get on the boat where I shall not be
disturbed-- Then I shall write you again-- It was awfully good of you,
and I am so pleased to have it to give away. I never had anything to
show people when they asked for one of your other books and this comes
in such an unquestionable form-- With lots of love.

DICK.

NEW YORK, 1893.

DEAR MOTHER:

I got your nice letter and one from Dad. Both calling me many
adjectives pleasing to hear although they do not happen to fit. So you
are in a third edition are y