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Mr. Joel Chandler Harris Editor "Constitution" Atlanta, Georgia
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I was very sure you would run across that story somewhere, I am glad you have. A
drummond light—no, I mean a Brush light—is thrown upon the negro
estimate of values by his willingness to risk his soul & his nightly peace
for ever for the sake of a silver sev'npence. And this form of the story seems
rather nearer the true field-hand standard than that achieved by my
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Florida, Mo., negroes with their
sumptuous arm of solid gold.
I judge you haven't received my new book yet—however, you will in a day or
two. Meantime you must not take it ill if I drop Osgood a hint about your proposed
story of slave life; For the more I deal with him the more I am satisfied that
whosoever has a book will do the judicious thing to let him have it. He is a fine
man every way; he knows
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his business; & it is
less bother to publish a book with him than a pamphlet with another man. Moreover
we know, now, how to get Canadian copyright
— & I doubt if anyone else in America does
k now.— He & and I have just been
up there, and I have ([?]
spenttwo weeks & various hundreds of dollars
to find out. We were on the wrong scent all the time. But we know all about it now;
& he can engineer your imperial & provincial copyrights for you with
no difficulty & but mode‐
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rate expense. And he would put you
into the hands of the right London house, too—
Chatto &
Windus. One has no trouble with C. & W. They have published three books for
me.
When you come north I wish you would drop me a line & then follow it in person & give me a day or two at our house in Hartford. If you will, I will snatch Osgood down from Boston & you won't have to go there at all unless you want to. Please do bear this strictly in mind, & don't forget it.