March 23 Saturday – Sam had received Orion’s manuscript, and responded from Hartford with mild scolding about learning the trade (“God requires that he learn it by slow & painful processes”) and a sort of line-by-line critique. Sam was upset that Orion had imitated Jules Verne, and not burlesqued him [MTLE 3: 32-5]. One interesting point—Sam offered that he hated what had now become conventional language:

“Next came 100 people who looked like they had just been, &c”

      That wretched Missourianism occurs in every chapter. You mean, “as IF”.

Sam also wrote to Howells about Houghton transferring Canadian copyright to himself or someone he knew. Sam mentioned Orion’s manuscript and the “manifest apprentice hand!” He wanted to thank Howells for helping him become a better writer, something he felt he’d never mentioned [MTLE 3: 36].

J.D. Slee for Langdon & Co. wrote to Sam (letter & telegram from John P. Jones enclosed, arranging to meet Slee in NYC) [MTP].