December 5 Wednesday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to John Y. MacAlister. After some delay caused by registering the letter, Sam got MacAlister’s letter on Dec. 4, referred to in a cable, and then cabled his approval.
When I said I could probably raise the money here, it was one of those unconsidered speeches that drop from a hurried man’s mouth, & would be stricken out if he had time to edit & consider—for they almost engage him to do what he half-says he could—but I’ve no time to edit & consider anything! I have now been bedridden with gout & toothache & bronchial cough 11 days, yet day before yesterday I answered 42 letters [only 5 are extant] & last night I crawled out in a close coupè & made a speech [Aldine Club]; & must crawl out to-morrow night & speak again [St. Nicholas Society]—but that is the last for this season, except that I introduce Churchill Dec. 12.
The rest of the letter involves Plasmon Co. details and plans; Sam closed by observing that “Those promised weekly reports of the London & Berlin companies have never come” [MTP].
Irving Bacheller (1859-1950) inscribed and sent Sam a copy of his latest book, Eben Holden; A Tale of the North Country (which would sell over 300,000 copies): “My dear Mark Twain: Let me introduce my old friend Uncle Eb and credit me what you will on the great debt I owe you. Irving Batcheller/ 320 St. Nicholas Ave N.Y./Dec. 5, 1900” [Gribben 36]. Note: See Sam’s reply on Dec. 14, some nine days after the inscription date. See Vol II for entries on Bacheller.