Addressed: 20 Mylett Crescent, Shepherd’s Bush. 'Some time ago you had the first seven members of 'Human Nature' so have typed the enclosed copy, as you may not have them to hand.' 'This is a list of the stories I have: 'The Green-Eyed' not ended; 'The Hay of the World' complete; 'Human Nature' from no. 5 to the end; 'Plucky Polly Perkins' two sets complete; 'Baby Tess' two sets complete; 'Justice' one set complete; 'The Steel Clutch' one set complete; 'Janey's Child' from no. 4 to the end of story.'
Headed notepaper: Dundee Advertiser, Evening Telegraph and Post, The Happy Home, People's Journal, People's Friend, My Weekly, John Leng & Co. Ltd., 7 Bank Street, Dundee. Signed. ‘We have no rule on the matter, but we would certainly prefer that no story were filmed until we first had used it and as you indicate that you can easily devote some other stories to this purpose I hope you will see your way to do so. I expect to be able to write to you very soon making a proposal with regard to 'London' and I shall have the other story 'The Fascinating Miss Forrest' considered, on an early date. One point against it is that it has so recently appeared in a rival magazine, but we can go into that matter should the story be found suitable. No 6 of 'A Mother At Bay' is approved and I shall be glad to have No. 7 at your earliest convenience. I note with pleasure that you hope to submit a new first number shortly.'
Headed notepaper: Dundee Advertiser, Evening Telegraph and Post, The Happy Home, People's Journal, People's Friend, My Weekly, John Leng & Co. Ltd., 7 Bank Street, Dundee. Signed. Pencil annotations. 'We have now considered your stroy entitled 'London'. We like the serial, but, as is the case with all your work not specially done for us, it will need a good deal of alteration to bring it into line with our requirements. In order to get the real heroine into the opening number, we would need to condense the first five instalments into one good opening of say 6,000 words. We think the best way to get a satisfactory result would be for you to write a new opening instalment which would carry the story down to the curtain of the present instalment 5. In rewriting this opening matter, we should like you to avoid the strong convict atmosphere of the opening chapters. Indeed, it would be best to begin say at chapter 3 and page 13, and to work into the body of the text of that chapter any necessary explanations. You would also need to give more prominence to the heroine, but I have no doubt that could be easily effected. If you were able to do that for us, we would ourselves condense the next three instalments into one, and this condensation would enable us to get well into the storay at once, and to leave most of the convict interest behind. With regard to later instalments, we would require to put every two together and bring these within the compass of one. I estimate that the net result would be to give us a story of about 60,000 words, plus the new instalment which you would write. We are willing to pay you sixty guineas for the 60,000 words and we would pay you two guineas per 1,000 for the new instalment you are writing. The total price to be paid would therefore be 72 guineas. We would need a fairly long lease but we would pay you on delivery of the rewritten first instalment.'
Headed notepaper: The World and His Wife - a monthly journal for the home, 2 Carmelite House, Carmelite Street, London. Signed. ‘Your story entitled “In Cupid’s Aid” has been accepted for publication in this magazine. I cannot as yet say whether it has won a prize [133] But in any case it will be duly paid for.’
Headed notepaper: Dundee Advertiser, Evening Telegraph and Post, The Happy Home, People's Journal, People's Friend, My Weekly, John Leng & Co. Ltd., 7 Bank Street, Dundee. Signed. 'With reference to your story entitled 'London'', I shall be glad if you will let me know in which paper the story has already appeared and the date of its publication.'
Headed notepaper: Dundee Advertiser, Evening Telegraph and Post, The Happy Home, People's Journal, People's Friend, My Weekly, John Leng & Co. Ltd., 7 Bank Street, Dundee. Signed. 'I am favoured with your letter of 20th inst. and note that No.7 of 'A Mother at Bay' will arrive by an early post. With regard to the suggestion for a story entitled 'The Marriage Vow', could you send me a brief indication of how the first instalment would run? The subject seems quite a likely one, and as you say, it could be treated without giving offence.’
Headed notepaper: Dundee Advertiser, Evening Telegraph and Post, The Happy Home, People's Journal, People's Friend, My Weekly, John Leng & Co. Ltd., 7 Bank Street, Dundee. Signed. 'No. 8 of 'A Mother at Bay' is approved, and I shall be glad to have instalment 9 at your earliest convenience. I am looking forward to receiving by an early post your opening of the new story 'The Marriage Vow'.'
Headed notepaper: Dundee Advertiser, Evening Telegraph and Post, The Happy Home, People's Journal, People's Friend, My Weekly, John Leng & Co. Ltd., 7 Bank Street, Dundee. Signed. Annotations on verso. 'The reconstructed first instalment of 'London' is quite satisfactory and we shall therefore take the serial from you on the terms mentioned in my previous letter. We do not like the present title 'London'. I shall be glad if from your intimate knowledge of the story, you could suggest one or two alternatives. I hope you will submit by an early post the opening number of the new story 'The Marriage Vow'. We should like to see it very soon.'
Headed notepaper: Editors and Author' Agents, Lennox House, Norfolk Street, Strand WC2. Annotated on verso. 'We have pleasure in enclosing cheque for £43:0:9 as per statement below. Delighted to hear about the new serial for the People’s Journal. There’s a lot of money to be made in that corner if you lay yourself out for it.’ 'By cheque from John Leng & Co. Ltd. in payment for one serial use (including fee for alterations made by Author) in 'London'.'
