October 24 Saturday – Charles Webster wrote from New York to Sam in Hartford:

If you could see the piles of stock at the printers and binders and see the hundreds of men boys and girls at work upon it…what you would see would astonish you…I have telegraphed for paper in large quantities and am using the set of plates that I had made for Canada while another set is being made for them…I shall drain this city of printers & binders. All the other publishers are howling about me they are obliged to send their Christmas books out of town to get them bound [MTNJ 3:204-5n70].

Orion Clemens wrote, Puss Greening to Orion Oct. 20 enclosed:

I enclose a bill of lading and letter from Puss. Ma instructs me to so write to Puss as not to incourage her to think she will get any more money. / The other evening Ma wanted to know where you and Livy were to sleep. She thought you were here. She walked 3 squares to a Congregational sociable last night, and walked home. She had much attention, and was bright. / I have commenced Henry III [MTP].

Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote a complimentary letter: “I have your letter and I like and admire you for it. I have always admired you as an author but I say to you now what I have often said to others that what I most like in you is that frank manly way of always doing full justice when the facts are properly presented to you” [MTP].

** Charles Webster wrote: “Yours is recd. All the stock bound and unbound has been kept fully insured from the first and will be. Don’t you worry about business. I have never yet made a business mistake that I am aware of and it is not probable that I shall commence on this book” He offered a total of 296,497 orders for the Grant set, “Entirely unprecedented in the history of book making”[MTP].