January 28 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to the editor of the London Pall Mall Gazette, a newspaper that often carried articles and notices about Mark Twain. In this case the paper had printed from Sam’s letter to an “English friend” of Sam’s, (George Standring [MTNJ 3: 440n112]) that Mark Twain had invented the typesetting machine.

…I did speak of it as “my” machine, and of course that is what misled him. When I own part of a piece of property I always speak of it as “mine.” This is merely for grandeur. I ignore the other proprietors. On the same principle, I always speak of America as my country. It is a misleading expression. Some think I own it all, others think I invented it [MTP].

Thomas Frazer Reddy wrote to Sam: “Thank you for your kind note of 26th. …If you could give me name & address of party who has agreed to dramatize [P&P] work perhaps we together might be able to produce a creditable play” [MTP].