In the following letter, William Hand Browne (1828-1912), editor at the Southern Magazine based in Baltimore, wrote to author Mrs. T. S. Stabler, AKA Jennie Owens Latham Stabler (1837-1882), who wrote under the nom de plume Jennie Woodville. “Little Joe” must refer to her comedic piece of the same name which appeared in Lippincott’s Magazine in 1874.
A 10 April 1875 letter from W. Hand Browne, editor of Southern Magazine (Baltimore), to author Mrs. T. S. Stabler (donated by Tom Schmutz, 2019)
Office So. Magazine
Balto. April 10th 1875
Mrs T. S. Stabler -
My dear Madam
By some singular fatality your note of Dec. 14 slipped through a crack of my desk into a drawer, and did not turn up until this morning when I cleaned the drawer out. I beg to hand you news of your acct. (given me by the publisher’s bookkeeper, and check for balance due you. If there is any error, inform me please.
I trust you receive the S. M. regularly.
Very truly yours,
W. Hand Browne
Thanks for “Little Joe”. Shall we see you in our pages before long?
Obituary for William Hand Browne (“Dr. Browne Dead,” obituary, The Baltimore Sun, 13 December 1912, page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/365327115/, accessed 2 June 2021)
Obituary for Jennie Owens Latham Stabler (“Sudden Death of a Literary Lady,” obituary, Staunton Spectator, 4 April 1882, page 2, https://www.newspapers.com/image/72197349/, accessed 2 June 2021)
