April 19 Tuesday – Sam completed the Apr. 11 letter to the Gerhardts by adding a paragraph about Livy being too busy to add to his letter [MTP].

Howells wrote from Boston to Sam on Apr. 17. Howells had talked to Osgood, who told him that he and Clemens were “about to strike a bargain” on the Library of Humor. Howells had agreed while visiting Sam, but now felt he couldn’t give it more than an hour a day, since he was working on his novel, A Modern Instance, which would run serialized in Century Magazine beginning in December.

“Why don’t you go on with the Etiquette Book, and let the L. of H. [Library of Humor] rest awhile? I don’t want to give it up; but I don’t want to begin it till the way is clearer to me” [MTHL 1: 360-2].

Sam responded from Hartford on Apr. 19:

“Good idea! That is exactly what we will do: “leave the time blank.” That is sensible; I wonder you ever thought of it. If you were not married, I should believe you did think of it. Anyway, it is sound, it is wisdom.” Note: Sam eventually hired Charles Hopkins Clark, managing editor of the Hartford Courant, to help Howells with the Library of Humor, which wasn’t published until 1888 and wasn’t a commercial success [MTHL 1: 364n1top].

H.N. Hinckley, Chicago publisher wrote to Sam about the Canadian reprint piracies. Sam’s report of the Postmaster General’s ruling “seems to have been favorably received.” He enclosed a handwritten copy of the order in case he’d not seen it [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “The new pirate P.O. regulation”