March 23 Thursday – Clara Spaulding arrived at the Clemens home after a trip through the South [MTNJ 2: 458n85].

Frank Fuller wrote to Sam somewhat apologetic for his loss in the “steam-generator” speculation of 1877. He encouraged Sam to buy shares in the Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad [460].

Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells about the British counter proposal for cooperative copyright law, and work on the “Encyclopedia of Humor.” Howells wrote on Mar. 22 about the latter.

I am at work upon Bret Harte, but am not enjoying it. He is the worst literary shoe-maker, I know. He is as blind as a bat. He never sees anything correctly, except California scenery. He is as slovenly as Thackeray, and as dull as Charles Lamb. The things which you and Clark have marked, are plenty good enough in their way, but to my jaundiced eye, they do seem to be lamentably barren of humor. Still I think we want some funereal rot in the book as a foil [MTHL 1: 396]. (typewritten) Note: Charles Lamb (1775-1834).

Sam sent The Stolen White Elephant to Howells by Adams Express [MTP Mar. 25 letter to Osgood].

Sam also typed again to Hattie and Karl Gerhardt. Besides ending the letter with the news that Susie had the chicken-pox, Sam told Karl to send this letter to Chatto & Windus for a book on Greek and Roman mythology Karl wanted. He also wrote of Livy’s interest in Hattie’s “Cluny” picture,

“MRS CLEMENS THINKS THE CLUNY IS THE MOST FASCINATING PLACE ON THE EARTH, AND THOSE OLD CHIMNEY PIECES AND CABINETS THE QUAINTEST, AND PRETTIEST, AND MOST FASCINATING THINGS IN CLUNY. SHE WANTS THAT PICTURE” [MTP]. (Cluny Square, Left Bank in Paris.)

William B. Franklin wrote (enclosing Gustavus Smith to Franklin Mar 22.) “ My dear Clemens / The writer of the within figure as a rebel Genl of considerable note in the early part of the war. I have written him discouraging his idea of trying to get his book published here. I find your name as a Director in the Amer. Pub. Co.” [MTP]. Note: Smith’s letter asked the title and address of the Hartford publishing co. Gustavus Woodson Smith (1821-1896), Major General in the Confederate Army.

Frank Fuller for Health Food Co. wrote, glad to have heard from Clemens again. He commiserated again about money lost on the Bowers deal, feeling very guilty. In order to return the $5,000 lost to Clemens on those bad inventions, Fuller thought the Indiana, Bloomington & Western RR stock selling at $41 would take “a considerable rise very soon” [MTP].