Raymond made his last New York appearance as Colonel Sellers at the Brooklyn PARK THEATRE on October 22-24, 1885, a decade after its premier.
As Raymond's interest in Colonel Sellers dwindled, Twain and Howells were to spend many years discussing, writing, and trying to produce a sequel to Colonel Sellers. Twain had hopes of using Sellers in several works and establishing him as the American character who would be used by later generations of writers as Italian literature made use of established, stock characters.
As early as the spring of 1878, Twain and Howells were discussing a project called The Steam Generator. At times it was referred to as Orme's Motor, or Colonel Mulberry Sellers in Age, and finally as, Colonel Sellers as Scientist.
In a letter dated September 5, 1881, Twain told Howells that he had made $70,000 from the production of Colonel Sellers , and that they should really go to work on the sequel . (18) Twain proposed a 3/4-l/4 split with Howells, since, after all, Sellers was his creation. Twain also proposed to lease the play to Raymond. By early 1882, the two partners had blocked out the play; but it was not until late 1883 that a script was completed, whereupon Howells agreed to a 1/3-2/3 split with Twain.
The new Colonel Sellers script was promptly submitted to Raymond through Clemens' agent, Charles Webster; and Clemens followed up with this letter to Webster, dated November 3, 1883:
Dear Charlie,
Now that you have made your opening, let Raymond do the rest. That is to say, you & Whitford sit still & let R. come there—don't you go to him. We can't allow our agents to occupy the position of second fiddle.
Do you think you understand my position toward Raymond as to the play? It is simply this: I wish to God he would not take it.
(Read that over, four or five times, till you get it soaked home.)
If he should take it, there must be a lot of things put in the contract—a limit (of time) for one thing:—say, the first time another piece has to be inserted into the week, this contract cease then. (I bet I know the value of that clause from old experience.)
Whenever you & Whitford talk with Raymond, have the conversation taken down in shorthand & preserved. You can do this openly. He would stand with his foot on the steps of the throne of God & lie, concerning what he did say. He knows that I know, that as a liar he has not his equal, either in hell or out of it.
(Keep this letter for future reference—You'll see.)
Why do I offer him the piece at all? 1. For these reasons: He plays that character well; there are not thirty actors in the country who can do it better; & 2. He has a sort of sentimental right to be offered the piece—though no moral of legal or other kind of right.
Therefore we do offer it to him—but only once, not twice. Let us have no humming & hawing—make short sharp work of the business.
Yrs Truly
S. L. Clemens
I decline to have any correspondence with R. myself, in any way. (19)
