August 16 Friday – In Elmira Sam telegraphed Robert Underwood Johnson of the Century:

I see Gilders position clearly and he is right. Leave the article out and I will write you an article on some other subject [MTP]. Note: Sam appears to be calling their bluff on the title.

Franklin G. Whitmore wrote bad news to Sam — the Paige typesetter had broken down and would have to be disassembled again [MTNJ 3: 512]. See Sam’s notebook reaction, Aug. 18 entry.

Orion Clemens finished his Aug. 15 letter.

Richard W. Gilder for Century Magazine telegraphed to Sam: “A second withdrawal will be serious injury to our plans. We can arrange title to suit you . letter by mail” [MTP]. He then wrote Sam that it would be better for it to run with any title Sam wanted than to have it withdrawn at this time. Sam wrote on the envelope:

I telegraphed that “the title as it now stands saves the book from heavy financial hurt. So I save myself from serious injury & shall not care for a small damage. Mark on the proofs all the alterations & modifications you would like made, 7 I will then decide at once” [MTP]. Note: Sam used sarcasm here — the same language of Johnson and Gilder, “heavy financial hurt,” “serious injury.”