September 9 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster. He’d just received a telegram from the printers—Prince and the Pauper would be finished on Monday, Sept. 12. Sam asked Webster to take the engravings (for the cover) himself to Boston, call on Osgood and take him to “that fancy foundry…in that portion of Boston called Chelsea.” Osgood was to take charge of the casting and finishing so that Charley could return home to New York.

…Let them keep on casting & recasting till they get it right. Pay what they require.

      2. Now a chief reason why I want you to go, is, that you may talk with that foundry & see if they will do other jobs for us, & expeditiously.

      3. And another reason is, if they can’t make this casting, & do it right away, I want you to rush off to Providence with it & make them hurry it up & express it to Osgood.

      It is of vast importance that no time be lost—for it might delay the issue of my canvassers’ copies, & cost me several thousand dollars….Start along, now—either Monday or Monday night [MTBus 169].

Sam also wrote to Benjamin H. Ticknor about the cover design and casting for P&P. Sam hoped the cover might be cast using the Kaolatype process with brass [MTLTP 140].

P.H. Bagenal wrote from Newport R.I. to ask Clemens for an interview [MTP].

Charles Webster wrote to Clemens that he’d “closed” with Garvie for $6,860 including “the carvings, veranda painting & everything about the house.” More details. Also about Slote, patents, etc. [MTP].

Elizabeth (Lily) M. Millet (Mrs. Francis Millet) wrote from Boston to advise Sam that Frank was “cruising along the Maine coast” and she wasn’t sure when he’d be home. Had Clemens rec’d a letter when their son was born, some 8 weeks ago? She’d had no reply [MTP].