While Belasco was thus busily engaged with preparation for the presentment in Chicago of his drama of “American Born,” a proposal was made to him by Daniel Frohman, business manager of the Madison Square Theatre, New York, through his brother, Gustave Frohman, that he should undertake, on trial, the stage management of that theatre. The opportunity thus offered was alluring, and, having ascertained that he might improve it without detriment to his purposed venture in Chicago, Belasco determined to seek once more for the success in the metropolis of the country which had long been the chief object of his ambition. He accepted the proposal, and likewise he accepted an invitation to work his way eastward as stage manager of the [Gustave] Frohman Dramatic Company. That company, organized in San Francisco, included Ada Ward, “Virgie” Emily, Abbie Pierce, “Rellie” Davis, “Jennie” Lamont, Charles Wheatleigh, M. A. Kennedy, John Dillon, George Osborne, “Harry” Colton, W. F. Doyle, Joseph W. Francœur, Logan Paul, and Hawley Chapman. It left San Francisco, on or about July 18, 1882, to perform in towns and cities of Colorado, and on July 31 began an engagement at Denver, where it played for two weeks during the Industrial and Mining Exposition held in that city. The repertory comprised “The Octoroon,” “East Lynne,” “Mary Warner,” “Our Boys,” “Leah the Forsaken,” “The Woman in Red,” “Arrah-na-Pogue,” and “American Born.” At, apparently, about the time when Maguire ceased to be potent in San Francisco theatrical affairs Belasco received a personal letter from F. F. Mackaye (himself an excellent stage manager and a severe judge of achievement in that vocation), which,--because it is representative of the advice of several friendly admirers in the same period, and because it had some influence on his decision to accept the Frohman proposals,--may appropriately be printed here: (_F. F. Mackaye to David Belasco._) “Hotel, Pike’s Peak, “Colorado (date? 1881-82?). “My dear Belasco:--