December 7 Friday – Frederick J. Hall wrote Sam about Mrs. Custer’s desire to buy back the rights to Tenting on the Plains and place the book with another publisher. She felt the book was being neglected by Webster & Co. Hall objected to giving in to her, as “It will be noised around that we made a failure of the book” [MTLTP 252-3n1]. Note: Sam would intervene and soothe Mrs. Custer’s concerns; sales improved in the spring. (See Jan. 11, 1889)

Orion Clemens wrote to Sam: “I wish I could gather from your letter more hopes of the machine. I did gather from it that I might buy a house. I made a contract for one…” Mollie was hunting for a person to help with Ma, but it looked difficult to find one [MTP].