September 19 Monday – In Hartford Sam responded to Chatto & Windus’ Aug. 24 notice that the Inland Revenue Department had assessed an income tax on his British book sales profits. Today, Sam might have deducted all costs of trips to England, but then Sam simply asked C&W to pay the tax on all sums paid him as “profits” for the 1885-6 and 1886-7 years. Further, he requested that they withhold and pay such taxes from his earnings in the future. “This is the swiftest & fairest & simplest plan that occurs to me,” he wrote [MTP].

Sam also responded to Andrew Chatto about their statement of Sam’s book sales for the past year.

It’s a quite good result, for an “off year.” We will boost it up, presently — next March (15th). Not with Smith of Camelot [CY], for that won’t be ready for a year yet, but with a 600-page-8vo volume, entitled “Mark Twain’s Library of Humor” [MTP]

Sam also wrote to his brother-in-law, Theodore Crane. He enclosed $30 for the shipping costs of a horse named “Vix” from Elmira to Hartford by U.S. Express Co., and added that the veterinary could find no evidence of mange on Vix.

I pine for Sue; & if I must confess it, I do also pine for Blatherskite & for the rest of that charming family [cats]. I was going to telegraph Sue & Blatherskite from New York, but was afraid it wouldn’t sound right by wire [MTP].

Webster & Co. Wrote to Sam that they’d just received his letter but had not had time to “read, mark, learn and inwardly digest it,” but they would do so “at the earliest possible moment.” The illustrator Edward Windsor Kemble had just left and his understanding with the Century Co. prevented him from working for rival publishing houses — though he was sure if Sam approached Gilder, permission was sure to be given. Hall added a PS that Kemble was willing to draw the illustrations for “an average of $10 per drawing” and since there were 200 it would total $2,000 [MTP].

Check #  Payee  Amount  [Notes]

3815  T.W. Crane  30.00  Theodore