October 21 Saturday – In Hartford, Sam typed a response to his sister Pamela Moffett all about autographs and how he hated to give them out. He thought it a silly practice, save for those he knew. His sister had requested an autograph or a book for the Schroeters (Schroters), who had been business partners and neighbors to the Moffetts at the outbreak of the Civil War. It was the Schroeter house that Sam “hid out” in prior to running off to join the Marion Rangers. Sam advised for the Moffetts not to be go-betweens in securing autographs, that “SAM SHOULD HAVE TOLD MISS SHINN POLITELY TO GO TO THE DEVIL” [MTP].

Sam also typed a short note to Charles Webster, directing him to “RETURN THIS DESIGN TO MESSRS M & CO., AND EXPLAIN THAT THE PRICE IS NOT SUITED TO THE CHARACTER OF THE ROOM.” Sam enclosed a check for $500 (see Oct. 24) [MTP].

James R. Osgood wrote twice to Sam, clipping enclosed, Sheldon & Co. to Osgood Oct. 19 enclosed. The first letter concerned the plates and stock of Sam’s older autobiography at Sheldon to be auctioned: “There are about 1300 copies paper, and 50 cloth. They ask 4 cents for the former and 10¢ for the latter, exclusive of copyright…their letter enclosed. Shall we buy them? And have you any counter claim against them for royalties unpaid?”

The second note is a pasting of an article in the Boston Advertiser taken from the N. Orleans Picayune:

Samuel L. Clemens has commenced suit against a publishing firm for infringing his literary nom de plume. So far as the Picayune is concerned Mr. Clemens may have all there is in ‘Mark Twain,’ though the signature was used by a river correspondent of this paper long before Mr. Clemens commenced writing for publication” [MTP].

October, late – George W. Cable visited the Clemens family late in the month and stayed a few days. He wrote thanking for the visit on Nov. 7 and attended the Oct. 23 Monday Evening Club, so the visit may have been a week or longer [MTHL 1: 420n4]. Note: Twichell wrote that he met Cable at Sam’s on Oct. 16 – See entry.