April 29 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to William Dean Howells.
B’gosh, I suppose it is some more mental telegraphy. The Weekly is just received, & I note your suggestion that Putnam Place & Wasson’s book be read together. Five days ago I wrote Bliss Perry a note praising Wasson’s book & Miss McLean’s “Flood Tide,” & said they ought to be read together, chapter-about; that Wasson’s delightful worldly people & Miss McL’s delightful unworldly people belonged together & should mix together on the same stage.
Putnam Place did not much interest me: so I knew it was high literature. I have never been able to get up high enough to be at home with high literature. But I immensely like your literature, Howells [MTHL 2: 768-9 notes]. Note: Howells reviewed Captain Simeon’s Store by G.S. Wasson; Putnam Place by G.L. Collins with another book under the heading “A Triad of Admirable Books,” Harper’s Weekly for May 2. Perry Bliss at this time was editor of Atlantic Monthly. Sarah Pratt McLean’s Flood-tide (1901).
Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore. Only the envelope survives [MTP].
Sam’s notebook: “Mr. Robert J. Collier, of Collier’s Weekly was anxious to have the handling of one set of my books—a cheap set—& offered to guarantee me $40,000 a year for 2 years, and Scribner wanted a $50 set to handle & offered a royalty of $7.50 a set” [NB 46 TS 15].
Frank Bliss wrote to Sam.
Yours of the 28th is received, also telegram which we are glad to see. We have already, since the suit was inaugurated, been to a great deal of work and trouble clearing our decks and are in pretty good fighting trim now. However, we shall pay no further attention to the interruption until something new develops. I suppose the Harpers will withdraw their suit before the time for trial arrives [MTP].
John T. McCutcheon wrote to Sam from Chicago. Since he’d seen that Sam had recently taken up the work of illustrating, he sent a book of cartoons, “in the hope that it may pay off part of my great indebtedness” [MTP]. Sam wrote on the env. “Make no answer.”
Hilary Trent (pseud. of R.M. Manley) wrote to Sam, thanking him for his comments on her book, Mr. Claghorn’s Daughter. She suggested it would help her to use his letter in form of facsimile for advertising, and asked his consent [MTP]. Note: Sam’s denial of her request is not extant. See Hilary’s May 4.