February 8 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to William Wright (Dan De Quille), sending him $1,500 to invest in:

“California or Con. Virginia at such time as John Mackey thinks is best, & when he says sell, sell, whether at a loss or a profit, without waiting to swap knives” [California and Consolidated Virginia were Comstock silver mine stocks]

A. Hoffman writes that Sam anticipated Dan’s book being a success and advanced him this money [240]. Sam told Dan to get good advice, and if John Mackey (Mackay) wouldn’t offer it, not to “buy on time, but only buy what you can pay cash down for.” Sam wrote he’d invested all the money he had “a month ago, in Illinois” (a Comstock silver mine.) He also hadn’t been able to catch Bliss at home in Dan’s behalf, but offered that the engravings were no doubt holding things up on Dan’s book [MTLE 1: 20]. Mackey was the silver baron of the Comstock Lode in Virginia City.

James R. Osgood wrote from Boston: “My dear Clemens / Certainly—you shall have the 20% discount. We shall render you a bill once a month but you can pay when you like. I have given such orders, and you may now fling your postals recklessly. / Songs of our Youth will go today” [MTP]. Note: Songs of our Youth, by Mrs. Dina Maria Craik (Muloch) (1826-1887); a collection of songs & poems. Gribben lists others by Craik inscribed to Livy as a girl.

Joe Twichell wrote to Sam: “I have chosen the 28th for our visit to West Point and written to Andy Hammond accordingly….What do you mean about one of Patrick’s children? Do you mean that it has scarlet fever?” [MTP].

Mary Mapes Dodge wrote to Sam from St. Nicholas editorial rooms, NYC.

My dear Mr Clemens— / It was a delight to see your name at the end of a letter in new handwriting the other day, for I very much wish an article from you for our magazine—a Mark Twain article—but I fear that this particular MS. can’t be made available for St. Nicholas—The idea is a good one, but the skeleton story you give, though just as full of fun as can be, & capital for grown-ups, is not one that I like to ask the children to fill out—The absurdity & humor of the thing would not be recognized by them—but they would set to work by hundreds to write a bloody & sensational novellette that would out-do the dime novels—They would spend days & days upon it, concentrating their young minds upon dreadful details of & feel that they were doing a great & serious work for St. Nicholas. As I know by experience, they would take the idea literally, quite overlooking the comico-burlesque undercurrent—and we should be really putting a premium upon the producing of just such stuff in the way of child-reading as we are straining every nerve to suppress & crowd out of existence—I write my idea plainly because I believe you’ll see its force and understand me—

      BUT, we must have something from you! I look upon this kind offer as a sort of lien—Can’t you tell the boys of some supposed personal experience in the manly sports—yachting, boating, skating, ball playing, firing at a mark—pic-nic-ing—private theatricals & high tragedy—horsemanship—breaking a colt or anything that has fun in it? St Nicholas has girl and boy readers of from 8 yrs to 18—We try to give them good & refined reading & to put in all the fun we can—Should you send a paper for the young folk I need not say that we can carry out your ideas in regard to illustration—Wouldn’t there be good material in “A Boys Vacation,” supposed to be your personal experience in trying to enjoy to the utmost a month’s or a week’s holiday in the summer under difficulties? It could be anywhere from 1 page to five in length We could illustrate it with humorous pictures & put it in our August number. In that case the Mss should be at hand by middle of March or April—

      You see I’m not willing to let you go, now that you have walked into my parlor—With thanks for your remembrance and “a lively sense of favors to come,” I am / Yours Truly Mary Mapes Dodge [MTPO].

Francis Wayland wrote to ask Sam “what Saturday Evening in March you would prefer for your lecture to our Kent Club?” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “Lt. Gov. Wayland”