September 2 Wednesday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam:
My dear Clemens: / I telegraphed you last night to send on your manuscript, which I’d like very much to see. Your letter came just as I was packing up to come home, and I had not strength of mind enough to answer it, though it may not appear to a man of more active intellect a very heavy job to say yes or no.
As soon as I get the ms., I’ll read it. I’m extremely sorry to hear of Mrs. Clemens’s relapse. Please give her my regards, and believe both of you that I was proud as Punch to hear that you liked my story. I shall yet make immortality bitter to the divine Walters—as the French would call the Waverley man.
I sent Pope his tragedy last Saturday, and I hope he’ll like it. I really made it hard work for myself, and I think earned my money. / Yours ever / W. D. Howells [MTPO]. Note: Howells’ telegram is not extant. Charles P. Pope; see July 22?
In Elmira Sam replied to Howells, who telegraphed earlier in the day to send a manuscript for the Atlantic Monthly. In late June or early July on one of Sam’s visits to New York, he related the story of Mary Ann “Auntie” Cord (1798-1888), a former slave who was the Crane’s cook at Quarry Farm, to John Hay and William Seaver. Cord had lost her husband and seven children when the family was broken up for sale around 1852. Some thirteen years later her eldest son, Henry, was found and reunited with his mother. Mary Ann told Sam the story of her slavery, separation and reunion. Upon John Hay’s urging, Sam wrote up the story and submitted it along with the “Fable for Old Boys & Girls” to Howells at the Atlantic Monthly. “Fable” was rejected but “A True Story, Repeated Word for Word as I Heard It,” appeared in the Nov. 1874 issue. This was Sam’s first appearance in the highly respected literary magazine [MTL 6: 217-220]. Note: At this time, Sam thought more highly of “Fable” than he did for “True Story.”
Elisha M. Van Aken presented his bill to Sam for photographs taken on July 29. The bill, for $31.45 was paid on Sept. 3, and was for 120 “Stereo Views,” 7 “Imperial” views, 12 Imperial “Cards of child [Susy],” and 12 “Card de Visites” of a child. See MTL 6: 226n6. Sam sent some of the photographs to Dr. John Brown in Scotland [222].