File:Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries- Volume 8, page 182, approximately May 17-31, 1857.jpg

Transcription:

and "Doesticks" [Mortimer Thomson] have offered $3000 cash, for it [New York Picayune]) [Frank] Bellew's father in law will advance him the money) which has been accepted, yet it is by no means unlikely that Mrs L [Mary Levison]'s short sighted acquisitiveness may induce her to snap the bargain in favor of an offer of [Charles] Gaylor's — who proposes to take the paper and give her an income from the proceeds. Now in all earthly probability he'd kill the paper in six months, — being but an incompetent scissorist and Editor of that immensely stupid "Yankee Notions — and she lose the chance of getting any money, but 'twould be very like the woman to do it. Having no faith in good, she thinks everybody actuated by the meanest and most selfish of motives, and despite vociferous protestations of esteem for and trust in [Jesse] Haney secretly fancies he favors Thomson & Bellew to [word crossed out] her disadvantage. When all the fellows were very generously and kindly disposed to her, for the sake of poor [William] Levison. But she, with characteristic narrowness of mind will, perhaps, risk losing all to gain more. I should be sorry for it — not for her sake — but that of her dead husband. The man's kindliness ought to be carried to her account. He wouldn't have liked to think of her being any way straitened, after his death. She retains her half of "Nic-nax," now growing a good property. Haney devotes himself, exclusively, to it; [Frank] Cahill, probably, rising to his position in the Pic — if Bellew and Thompson buy it. Cahill is my neighbor,