“I worked a month on my play, and launched it in New York last Wednesday. I believe it will go. The newspapers have been complimentary. It is simply a _setting_ for one character, _Colonel Sellers_. As a play I guess it will not bear critical assault in force.” In another letter Clemens says: “I entirely rewrote the play _three separate and distinct times_. I had expected to use little of his [Densmore’s] language and but little of his plot. I do not think there are now twenty sentences of Mr. Densmore’s in the play, but I used so much of his plot that I wrote and told him I should pay him about as much more as I had already paid him in case the play proved a success....”--Albert Bigelow Paine’s “Mark Twain, a Biography.” Volume I., pp. 517-18. On November 3, 1874, Raymond published the following letter: (_From John T. Raymond to_ “_The New York Sun_.”) “The Park Theatre, [New York]. “November 2, 1874. “_To The Editor of ’The Sun’_: “_Sir_:-- “An article headed ’The Story of “The Gilded Age”’ in ’The Sun’ of this morning calls for a statement from me. The facts in the case are simply these: In April last I commenced an engagement in San Francisco. A few days after my arrival the manager of the theatre mentioned that Mr. Densmore, the dramatic critic of ’The Golden Era,’ had dramatized Mark Twain’s and Charles Warner’s novel of ’The Gilded Age,’ and would like to submit it to me. I read the play, and the character of _Colonel Sellers_ impressed me so favorably that I consented to produce the piece the last week of my engagement. I did so, the play making a most pronounced hit. I then arranged with Mr. Densmore for the right to perform the play throughout the country. Upon my arrival in New York I heard that Mr. Clemens had telegraphed to San Francisco protesting against the play being performed, as he had reserved all rights in his copyright of ’The Gilded Age.’ I at once recognized Mr. Clemens’ claim, and wrote to Mr. Densmore to that effect. I then communicated with Clemens, with a view of having him write a play with _Colonel Sellers_ as the chief character. While the negotiation was pending I received a letter from Mr. Densmore, requesting me to send the manuscript of his dramatization to Clemens, as he had purchased it, and that he (Clemens) had acted in a most liberal manner toward [Illustration: From a photograph by Mora. Belasco’s Collection. JOHN T. RAYMOND (1836-1887)]