March 28 Tuesday – Donn Piatt of the Galaxy replied to Clemens:

My dear fellow / Your letter is perfectly safe in my hands—stop to make it so I have just put it in the stove altho’ I wished to retain a confidential letter written by one I like and admire much as I do you

I am very glad to hear that your dear wife is convalescent and I hope with you that she will soon be well.

I told the Churches I could not take the responsibility of that Dpt for any such sum as the one offered—so they came down and agreed to my demand.

Now I wish on my account you would reconsider your determination and help me a little. I find in print some very capital things from you that you ordered out—now cant you give me some of them?

So soon [as] the Church signs an agreement with me I am going to throw over letter writing and devote myself to editing and book making—We ought to make a shove for an international copy right. The literary and other brain of the country ought to be sufficient to accomplish this

Where are you to be this summer—I propose taking my wife to the Sea side—Narragansett Rhode Island— …Yours sincerely / Donn Piatt [MTP].