December 17 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frederick C. Harriott, and gave the letter to William Dean Howells, who somewhat softened the language, then sent it on to Harriott the same day.
Mr. Howells & I learn from Stoddard that you have not sent him the lacking $150, nor named a date when you will send it. We strongly urge you to decide upon a date—say December 24th—& send him word. Then he will inform us. If you fail to do this, measures of a sort which cannot advantage you will be taken
[MTP]. Note: this is Sam’s original. For Howells’ see MTHL 2: 755n1.
Sam also wrote to William Denison McCrackan.
Have you begun your chapters? I hope not; for without access to all of mine you might be hampered, & work at a disadvantage. I have copies (in print) now, of all of my truck except the chapters which are under my hand & unfinished, & if you will run up some forenoon (not the 21st)—telephone me first, to make sure—“150 Kingsbridge” I will show the lot to you, & if you like you can carry it confidentially away. It seems unfair that you should have to wait while the slow North American grinds me out [MTP]. Note: the two were collaborating on a book. See earlier entries on McCrackan.
Edith E. Dodge wrote from Augusta, Ga. to Sam. This is a very melodramatic “begging” letter from a woman who claimed to have had a son by Samuel L. Clemens in 1864! She was no relation to the William Dodge family of Riverdale, neighbors of the Clemenses. After reading the tear-jerker, Sam wrote on the top: “Let me see. From August (9?) 1861 till near the autumn of 1864, I was not out of the Territory of Nevada; & was not absent from the Pacific Coast until October 1866. Evidently the within son is of the vintage of 1864. No use to set up a claim to him— he would prove an alibi. / SLC” [MTP].