April 1 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “11 p.m. Bliss and Gibman. Dinner–Poultney” [NB 44 TS 8].

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote again to Laura F. McQuiston in Fort Hancock, N.J.

I judge that nothing is going to come of this matter. At least it looks so unpromising—& also so silly & so cheaply visionary—that I think it wisest to return your husband’s letter to you & drop the enterprise for the present. This young woman’s glib shop-talk & psychic slang exasperate me, & at the same time make me laugh. The resulting fruit is prejudice.

Sam confessed he was in bed with rheumatism and had been “these seven days”; he could not see Mrs. Koller if she came, but would look at the letter she mentioned. He suggested McQuiston could destroy Mrs. Koller’s letter, that he wouldn’t need it [MTP]. Note: Rheumatism or no, Sam did speak on Mar. 30, the only time in the past week he did so.

Elisabeth Marbury, Twain’s drama agent, wrote to Sam that she’d been delayed in obtaining a copy of PW, but as soon as she got one would have a MS made, “together with a copy of the existing contract for the production of the piece next season” [MTP].