April 16 Monday – In Hartford, Sam wrote to George W. Cable. Livy was not getting better and didn’t eat much so couldn’t get stronger. Sam intended to have her “travel on a mattress” to Elmira and “see if her mother can nurse her back to health.” Again Sam cautioned George to require money in advance from “those thieves” (probably the Mallory brothers) for a performance Cable had agreed to:

“They will leave a loop-hole in the writing through which their small souls can creep.

I shall be at the Author’s Club and the Salvini Banquet in case Mrs. Clemens is well enough to spare me—a doubtful outlook” [MTP]. Note: Sam didn’t make either, due to Livy’s poor health.

Sam also wrote to Charles Webster, reminding him to send the money to Keokuk each month. He also noted that Ralph Gillette was the man to deal with for insurance on the house. Livy was sitting up “a good deal these days, but “ Sam did “not think her progress toward health amounts to much” [MTP].

The first meeting of the American Copyright League was held at Brander Matthews’ home on East 18th Street in New York. Matthews writes:

“The first of the authors to arrive was Henry James, whom I had then the pleasure of meeting for the first time. The second meeting took place a little later at Hutton’s; and in a few weeks we had collected adherents all over the country. We organized for a long campaign, resolved not to quit until we had accomplished our purpose; in fact…it was more than eight years before we could rejoice over the passage of the first act recognizing the obligation of the American people toward the foreign men of letters who were amusing and enlightening us. Our ultimate victory was due largely to the zeal and the tact of our successive secretaries, George Parsons Lathrop, Henry Loomis Nelson, and Robert Underwood Johnson.

“We chose a strong and energetic executive committee, and James Russell Lowell accepted the presidency, contributing the quatrain which we adopted as our motto:

“In vain we call old notions fudge,

    And bend our conscience to our dealing;

The ten commandments will not budge

    And stealing will continue stealing” [These Many Years 225].

Note: Sam did not attend this first meeting, but his sympathies certainly rested with such efforts, and his interests were directly affected.

F.B. Goddard wrote about an invention by “Mr. R. T. Sperry an artist formerly of Hartford …called the Lintograph” for lithography. Sperry had recommended W.C. Hutchings who then milked Goddard for $150 and said Clemens had promised $500—he was either “mentally astray” or a con man. “We venture to ask if such was the fact if you did lend him the money” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “About Hutchings”; Reginald T. Sperry.

James R. Osgood wrote: “Tell me now art going to N.Y. on the 25th for the Authors Club and the Salvini dinner on 26th? Hutton expects you, and I am going. Let me know…telegraph me.” He also reassured Clemens that the new book “is in the hands of most competent and experienced agents all round…” [MTP].