wers, and it drove me to farces. So, I was
especially glad when you liked "Royal Macklin." I tried to make a
"hero" who was vain, theatrical, boasting and selfconscious, but, still
likable. But, I did not succeed in making him of interest, and it
always has hurt me. Also, your liking the "Derelict" and the "Fever
Ship" gave me much pleasure. You see what I mean, it was your
selecting the things upon which I had worked, and with which I had made
every effort, that has both encouraged and delighted me. Being
entirely unprejudiced, I think it is a fine article, and as soon as I
stamp this, I will read it over again. So, thank you very much,
indeed, for to say what you did seriously, over your own name, took a
lot of courage, and for that daring, and for liking the same things I
do, I thank you many times.

Sincerely yours,

RICHARD HARDING DAVIS.

In reading this over, I find all I seem to have done in it is to
complain because no one, but yourself and myself liked "Macklin." What
I wanted to say is, that I am very grateful for the article, for the
appreciation, although I don't deserve it, and for your temerity in
saying so many kind things. Nothing that has been written about what I
have written has ever pleased me so much.

R. H. D.

In the spring of 1906 while Richard was on a visit to Providence, R.
I., Henry W. Savage produced a play by Jesse Lynch Williams and my
brother was asked to assist at rehearsals, a pastime in which he found
an enormous amount of pleasure. The "McCloy" mentioned in the
following letter was the city editor of The Evening Sun when my brother
first joined the staff of that paper as a reporter.

NEW YORK, May 4, 1906.

DEAR NORA:

I left Providence Tuesday night and came on to New York yesterday.
Savage and Williams and all were very nice about the help they said I
had given them, and I had as much fun as though it had been a success I
had made myself, and I didn't have to make a speech, either.

Yesterday I spent in the newspaper offices gathering material from
their envelopes on Winston Churchill, M. P. who is to be one of my real
Soldiers of Fortune. He will make a splendid one, in four wars, twice
made a question; before he was 21 years old, in Parliament, and a
leader in BOTH parties before he was 36. In the newspaper offices they
had a lot of fun with me. When I came into the city room of The Eve.
Sun, McCloy was at his desk in his shirt spiking copy. He jus