Porter, William Sydney

2½ pages (199 x 123 mm), N[ew] Y[ork], May 25 [19]05, accompanied by original autograph envelope; some light offsetting to letter, with small tear at fold, envelope slightly soiled with opening tear to right side. 

[WITH]: Original Autograph manuscript signed in pencil with several emendations, being the first page of the first draft of his story "Hostages to Momus", 1 p (215 x 148 mm), New York, May 25 [19]05; two small blue ink stains, paper reinforced at top edge.

Henry sends the first page of a handwritten penciled story which was to appear in an early number of Munsey's Magazine. He comments that he finds "pencil and scratch paper the easiest way to write" and then adds "... If you don't care to add this to your collection, you might take it to a Chinese laundry & get a shirt on it."

The manuscript, which differs from the final version, begins: "I never got outside of the legitimate line of graft but once. By the legitimate I mean something a little more risky than burglarizing a police station in New York City, and not quite so unsafe as making gloves for the government. …"