March 11 Friday – At the Villa Reale di Quarto, Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Frederick A. Duneka.
Mr. Clemens has been in bed for several weeks with bronchitis, and is going to write you himself when he is well. In the meantime he wishes me to say that he misread the Italian article about Joan of Arc. And that she has been canonized, as you will see by the enclosed clipping.
Mr. Clemens has been trying to mention to you, and has continually forgotten to do it, that he believes there is to be a Mark Twain day at the St. Louis Fair some time in June. and that Prof. Gelli is minded to contribute to that exhibition an oil portrait of Mr. Clemens, if he gets well in time to do the necessary sitting; possibly he will.
Mr. Clemens wishes me to ask if you are going to issue a cheap subscription edition next fall, and if so, which one. He asks because he intends to reduce the royalty on the twelve dollar edition when you get ready to put it on the market.
Mr. Clemens has written to Col Harvey in London; he would have written Mr. Howells, but thought the Colonel was going to London first.
Mr. Clemens is very sorry to hear of your illness, and can sympathize fully because he has been having such a seige himself [MTP]. Note: Edoardo Gelli
(1852-1933) was a distinguished Italian painter, who did the last portrait of Mark Twain sometime after this letter. (Sam’s NB for Apr. 14 shows first appt. with Gelli; entry of Apr. 27 declares it finished; “It hasn’t a defect.”) The portrait was done for the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. See a history of the painting on Bancroftiana online. Insert: Gelli’s 1904 painting (28”x 38”)
Sam’s notebook: “Wrote Duneka that when he is ready to issue $12 edition I mean to reduce the royalty. / [Horiz. Line separator] / Shall I require a 20-vol edition? & by subscription & only? & take 12% royalty on first 100,000 sets & 0% afterward? Will think this over” [NB 47 TS 7]. Note: Sam to Duneka not extant.
Frederick A. Duneka wrote to Sam.
This is meant primarily as an acknowledgment of the receipt of “Italian With Grammar” “You’ve Been a Damfool Mary” “The $30,000 Bequest” and these which came earlier and were already acknowledged:
“Sold to Satan”
“Joan of Arc”
It is our present intention to have “Joan of Arc” illustrated in full color by Howard Pyle and use it in the Christmas Magazine.
We are arranging to buy Mr. Warner’s interest in “The Gilded Age” and expect to have the matter closed shortly [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “Important / from Mr. Duneka Joan of Arc—Ill. By Howard Pyle / “‘Gilded Age’.”
B.A. Nichols wrote from Cortland, NY to ask Sam “on what terms would” he “come to this city for a lecture, and when, if at all,” could he come? [MTP].
George Gregory Smith wrote from Florence to Sam. “I have at last got the record of the Express Co. regarding your cases. I enclose you the second letter of Mr. Dalliba. You will notice the last sentence asks for the date on which you received them. Will you kindly ask Miss. Lyon to forward it to me” [MTP].