May 14 Friday – Rebecca Gibbons Beach (Mrs. John Sheldon Beach; 1823-1893) wrote to Sam:

Dear Sir /Altho’ I have not the honor of yr acquaintance, I, take the liberty of remonstrating against yr refusal to contribute to the “Spirit of 76.”

      You sent me word that you are called upon “every day” for similar purposes. I reply that you cannot be aware of the nature of this application—for you have never been so called upon and never will be again. In fact you are called upon thus but Once in a hundred years!

      I know not if Conn. be yr native state—(it is not mine)—yet being yr adopted home you should be as jealous of its honor and credit as if you were the ‘child of the soil.’ It is to this sentiment that our Journal must appeal, and I ask you to remember that it can be sustained only by the free will offerings of our literary and scientific men. If all these were to follow yr example—where wd the paper be. (I omit, from politeness, the adjective ‘selfish’ which I was going to put in before example!)

      Of course you are busy!—what literary man is not?—If you were not busy you wd not be asked to write for this Journal.

      I think, however, that you magnify the favor asked of you, and the time & labor it wd involve. There are to be but 12 numbers of the S of 76, and but two will be issued this summer. Then it will be regularly sent out from Feb to May 76, and the remaining numbers in July and Oct of that year.

      If you cannot find 10 min for each number then do us the favor of finding it for the first number (June 1st) and afterward give us what you can, and allow me to put yr name upon the list of contributors.

      Trusting that you will consent and give me a favorable answer—I am / Very respy / Mrs. John S. Beach [MTP]. Note: she listed six men “already secured,” most with Yale connections. Clemens didn’t take well this sort of upbraiding, especially by a female. He wrote on the letter, “From a coarse, impertinent woman with a patriotic mission.” No evidence has been found for this publication. Her earlier request and Clemens’ earlier decline are not extant.

Louise Stone wrote from Hartford to thank Clemens for a painting she won at the spelling bee [MTP].