March 20 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to William Dean Howells to advise him of a house for sale near where the new house was being built. Sam wanted Howells or Aldrich to move to Hartford. The reply is not known, but neither man moved [MTL 6: 85].
Sam also wrote to Frank Fuller about making money from buying and publishing a manuscript:
Dear Frank: / Why shouldn’t you & I buy that Granger man’s book & publish it through the American Publishing Co. here? That is to say, if it will make 500 or 600 pp. 8 vo,) give him $2,000 or $3,000 for his book, or else give him 5 or 6 per cent royalty & then we could charge the Pub. Co. 8 or 10 per cent royalty. We could sell between 50,000 & 100,000 copies at $3.50 apiece
We send warm regards to yourself & Mrs. Fuller. Mrs. Clemens has been ill for a week, but is about the room again. / Ys Ever / Mark [MTP, drop-in letters].