April 4 Thursday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam sent a postcard to his attorney Augustus T. Gurlitz.

“Name the day & hour—so that I can be here when you come” [MTP: Sotheby’s, NY, 11 Dec. 1990, Item 382].

Sam wrote to Mrs. Presley K. Ewing, president of the Ladies’ Reading Club in Houston, Texas. “Dear Madam: I should dearly like to say yes, but I am not able to do it. I have retired from the platform permanently—as I hope—though I believe that at this moment U should regret it if Texas were not so far away. / Sincerely yours, S.L. Clemens” [MTP]. Note: Mrs. Ewing’s invitation is not extant.

Frank Bliss wrote to Sam:

“I have a letter from a Mrs. Mary E. Phillips, a New York lady who says she is preparing a book, a compilation I should judge, for children of all ages, and she wants to make two extracts from your books….What shall I tell this woman? She says she has your permission to make these extracts.”

On or after receipt of this letter Sam replied: “Come! This is not fair. It is a publisher’s business to deny these requests. An author can’t do it without seeming uncourteous to his fellow-craftsmen [MTP]. Note: on Feb. 14 Sam had referred Phillips to Bliss; his note did not give permission.