September 4 Tuesday – James B. Pond wrote to Sam.

I am glad to get your letter on the margin of the proposed little story for my book. I don’t agree with you. I believe that a man who can write a letter that makes one feel as though his friends should enjoy the same feeling, has no right to insist that everybody should wait for him to die,—a man who has a lease of life for one hundred years, as you have. You have got the thing down so fine that you can live without eating, and a man who does not require nourishment is an “evergreen”.

I will not print the letter, First: because you rather I would not. Second: because Mr. Cable has reconsidered and has asked me not to do it. …

Sam Moffet [ sic] called this morning and I asked him to look over a long story that I had written about you for my book, but I do not reprint your letters in full. The story deals with our trip across the Continent. It is not bad, and I want you to read it for the first time in the book. Then if you feel like shooting me at sight, pull out your blunderbuss. I shall not be armed when I meet you [MTP].