Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1881-09-18)

no one except my wife knows it. If I fail I do not want anyone save you & I to know it, and if I </s kne > succeed it will be known plenty soon enough. If I make an engagement I will finish my book before leaving here. I have very little work ahead now, no elephants, nor bad chimpanzees nor orangs, nor mountain sheep without a head, nor anything but what the others can just as well do,

    I can write for the Bulletin just as well in

Washington as here, and in any case I would stand by that enterprise to the extent of my ability. Were I in W. it would be strange if I could not suceed in inducing </s p > Prof. Baird to buy the "Fight in the Tree-Tops", and lots of other things.

    There, this is more than I intended, and

will perhaps be the last until I write you to San F. Our little stranger is daily expected, & we are all anxiety. Mrs Chamberlain is here. Mrs Ward has been most kind to us all along in many ways. We are in the best neighborhood the Lord ever put together, certainly. Once more let me ask you to let </u no one >know ^of^ my Washington plans.

    Mr Preston is </u very > anxious for your return. He is a

highly valuable acquisition. I consider, and bids fair to play a leading part in our little community. We will get the next Bulletin out on Nov 1st 15th if we are not prevented, as we were before. Yours faithfully Wm T. Hornaday [ybg]