December 28 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Jervis II, Julia O., and Ida Langdon, his nephew and nieces, thanking them for the “Spain” book, which Sam,

“…more wanted than any other book that could be named. It gives me nightly peace, now, & I think of you when I read it. / We have all been skating on the river today; no, Susy hasn’t; she has a sore throat; but the other three of us had a good time” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to James B. Pond, who wrote earlier with another generous offer for Sam to give more readings.

“Goway!—you & his reverence. Tempt me not.

I have two engagements—one to a banquet, the other to read—& that’s all I’m going to do this winter”[MTP].

Sam also wrote to Charles Webster, about alterations in volume two of Grant’s Memoirs and “avoiding Badeau’s language.” Had Webster seen Charles A. Dana of the New York Sun yet? (It was through Dana that negotiations for the Pope’s book would be obtained.) “It’s a clear $100,000,” Sam wrote, meaning the profit from the Pope’s book.

“Strike—for that book, & also for the letters; for it is best that those be settled before I talk with the proprietors of the third book I spoke of—a book which we must have. With the priesthood to help, Dana’s book is immense.” Note: That “third book” was most likely Rollin Daggett’s book of Hawaiian myths and legends written with King Kamehameha V.

Charles Webster wrote that Goodwin had paid $730; the thousand dollar note was all paid [MTP].