Anna Dickinson
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
Shepard, Charles
1873-81Boston Aug 6. 73
My dear Miss Dickinson
In conformity
with promise I called
on Mr. Osgood yesterday
forenoon but unfortunately 
he left the eve previous 
for N.Y. He however 
returned this A.M.,
and I submit herewith
to you the result of my
interview. He could not consent 
as a matter of principle
to pay over ten per ct unless 
you would allow for the
expense of stereotyping in 
which case he would pay 
15 per ct _ this of course leavesthe plates as your property
and if the book sells 11000
or thereabouts the amount accruing
to you will be about the
same as at 12 1/2 per ct and
you still will own the plates.
Believing that the book will
sell as many as 11000 I should
advise the acceptance of this
proposition although should
it not sell over six or eight
thousand you had better take
ten per ct. You of course can
judge of this better than I
can. Mr O assured me that
neither Mr Longfellow nor Mr
Whittier rec'd over ten per
ct - and when an author expressed
a desire for different terms
he usually gave them the choice
of ten pr ct - half the profits or
the prop herein made. I am confident 
that I put the matterbefore Mr Osgood in such a
manner that he will neither
consider you a "Shylock" nor
blame you in the least for
asking the opinion of another
Regretting that I could not
secure to you the straight
12 1/2 per ct I remain
Very Respy Yours
Charles A B Shepard
P.S. I gave Mr O. your address
and he will write youBoston Dec 15/73
My dear Miss Dickinson, 
"I take my pen
in hand to inform you that
I am well and hope that 
you are enjoying the same
blessing";  No I don't either;
Yes I do too; but there was 
no need in saying it for 
you know it already & 
What I wish to say is this
that after profound cogitations
(a la Capt Cuttle)
And intercourse with
wise acres who should
be able to decide the point

[* [S.?]
Command
me at any and
all times and you
shall have the opinion
of the Modern
Soln. *]I have concluded that
Fifty dollars a column 
would be a fair price
for your articles, you reserving 
the right to use
the matter afterward - I 
know this dont pay as well
as lecturing but still I
trust that you will remember
the fate of the
"unjust steward who dug
a hole and hid his 
Lords money" (a chap who by the
way I always believed in) - In
my inquiries I have not implicated
you or the paper 
for which you prepare
write
Respectfully Yours
Charles A B ShepardBoston Mch 30/ 74
My Dear Miss Dickinson, 

Your valued favor
with a "stunning" heading 
reached me to day and very 
glad was I to learn there 
from of your convalescence
The last time I heard you were 
quite seriously indisposed but 
the letter assures me that if
you have suffered physically 
(which I hope is not the case)
that mentally your "equilibrium 
is accurately adjusted."  But
to the main point of the letter
L&S would be very happy to 
publish both your books should 
you be inclined to entrust
them to their hands and will 
use every endeavor to satisfy youthat you make no mistake in so 
doing.  At the same time if I 
might be allowed to make
a suggestion would say that 
"After the lecture" (In the happy [ ? ]
[ title I agree fully with Peter ) would 
make a capitalsummer book
and should be brought out
at once while the others had
better be deferred until Autumn
for the reason that the one will 
compete with the other which
neither you nor I would like
If you prefer the other could be
the first one only because to me
that tis better as I suggest. Am
very glad to learn that you
are going abroad in early June.
Am trying to seek similar
arrangements but as man only
proposes fear my ability
[?] [say] that we shall
be apt to your [?] indication 
as to the probable sales 
of the two but if you should

decide to go abroad we will 
see that you have a letter
of credit which will enable 
you to draw on L & S for one
thousand dolls in sums as you 
may want from time to time
when that amount isexhausted
I shall be able better
to speak of the prospective
sale.  Before closing however
I will say that I think the 
idea of your book a capital 
one and think that you will
"Make a hit" -  that yur will
shall be my effort and prayer 
both on your a/c and mine. -
Pray do not fail to write that
proposed letter to Miss Osgood
& Co for although I am sure
they would not believe my firm
capable of trying to tamper with
one who they might claim asthis author yet I would prefer
for them to know it from your
own lips or pen--and now
as you bid me, "good morning
in the opening clause
of your epistle I will in closing
mine say to you
"Good night"- and remain
Very Respectfully Yours
Chas. A. B. Shepard

P.S. I open to say until now
I had forgotten that Harper
matter--Shall I write to
them or wait longer - Will
do just as you direct.  Pray
pardon my shortcomings.LEE & SHEPARD,
PUBLISHERS AND BOOKSELLERS,
41-45 FRANKLIN AND 78 HAWLEY STREET.
New York Office, 
678 Broadway. Boston, Apr 20 1881

My dear Miss Anna
I enclose
you a few clippings from
the press which I thought
perhaps you would like to 
see- I know. that were I
in your position I should
want to get hold of every
thing, even though they 
might be of no account
in the immediate future
but at some time far distant
they might be handy
to refer to- I recd a letter
in N.Y. yesterday from Pete
in which he referred to
the misunderstanding in
a very kind sympathetic
sentence
Yours Sincerely
Charles B Shepard
[*Write whenever you get time*]

[*how Fanny used to say of some other
people " a pig & a beast" If I could discover
the way, the right way to "get out of this" & find myself elsewhere, I would be
happy. Write me again & know me to be always faithfully A.D. *]
Ely, N. J. 4 21. 1881
Dear [?]
Thank you very much 
for your kind little note, & for the assurance
of Pete's in friendly interest. I don't care
for the opinion good or bad of most people,
but I do care, & greatly, for the interest of a 
few.
Thanks, too, for the clippings, I
wish you would send me all that come
in your way. As you say they will be "good
for reference," If I have the pleasure of
sight of you or Pete I will tell you my story
for I know you will care to her it, but
it is long to write. As to John Stetson
he beats A. & S. but I suppose he
is not "struck dead" for his lying, because
Satan dont' care for such a mean
fellow in his kingdom. If the papers
had any good will or decency of truth,
they could refute every word he says 
against me w/o putting his statements
against one another. What he 
said five weeks ago & what he says now
are sweet comparisons. As to the rest, I have
his own letters & telegrams to show that he sought
me, almost forced the contract on me, insisted
to the last (before signing) on my playing
Hamlet, knew of the reasons for my conduct,
knows he has not a feather of evidence to hurt
me in a court of law, & is, in short, asLee & Shepard
Publishers and Booksellers,
41-45 Franklin and 78 Hawley Street.
New York Office,
678 Broadway.
Boston, May 21 1881

My dear Anna. E. D
I cut the 
enclosed from the Traveller 
last eve thinking
that you might to see
it, but that no one
else would call your
attention thereto just
in the form that it
appears in that paper -
If in sending I offend I
know you will forgive
and if you approve my course
I know that I have your
sincere thanks. I wrote Pete
that at last I have heard
nice news from you, and
he replied by asking, "whyt—n don't she write
me"? I gave up the conundrum
 for I did not want
to make him feel badly
by writing the true answer
viz - because she likes
me best - Hope you are
well and prospering in
whatever course you are
pursuing - Always glad
to hear from you I
am as ever
Your friend
Chas. A. B. Shepard
Enclosed the article sent
you - headed -
All, Am girl -
unreliability of newspaper
gossip Jan 20th
I will save it for you
have 2 copies now besides
in proof copy -