January 27 Monday – The New York Times, p.5, ran a long article on Edward House’s lawsuit, “MARK TWAIN HAULED UP,” which cited from Sam’s Dec. 17 & 26, 1886 letters to House about dramatizing P&P. Also quoted were affidavits in the suit, and House’s Aug. 29, 1887 letter to Sam. There is little doubt as to the sentiments of the Times (see Whitford’s reason for a Times grudge, Jan. 31):

Twain has been growing rich, while the poor writer, now confined closely to his room with the last term of his slender annuity nearly at hand, had no resources except in his pen. To see months of labor thrown away at such a time was about as serious a thing as could happen. The situation threatened to present an actual case of prince and pauper, with none of the stage gloss or romance to relieve it.

Alfred P. Burbank wrote to Sam from Galveston, Texas, where he was touring in Pinero’s Sweet Lavender. He had seen “items afloat saying that [CY] is in the process of dramatization….I would like above all things to play ‘Hank Morgan.’ He is a magnificent part. Greater than Sellers to my thinking” [MTHL 2: 629n1].

R.P. Kenyon of R.P. Kenyon & Co., N.Y., hats, caps and furs, wrote that they had “designed a new style of hat for gentlemen wear and I desire to name it the ‘Mark Twain’ and respectfully beg your permission” [MTP]. No answer is noted.

Daniel Whitford wrote to Sam: “I argued your part of the motion in this case this morning and Mrs. Richardson’s counsel submitted an affidavit that all the play was original with her and that she knew nothing of House’s adaptation” [MTP].

Orion Clemens wrote to Sam having just recd the $200 monthly check. “I have obtained seven subscribers for your new book [CY]. Pamela sent me the Standard, with Henry George’s notice.” Orion thought that the book would have “a large circulation” in the US and abroad. Ma had another sleepless night [MTP].

Joe Goodman wrote from the Hoffman House, N.Y. to Sam: “I have just come from Washington after the most earnest talk of my life. Jones will be here Wednesday in readiness to see the machine operating. I have practically engaged him as our best counsel.

For Mackey at first fought distant. But after a good talk I enlisted him to promise that he would stand in, if upon assurance from others the machine would do all that I claimed….Mackey goes to San Francisco Friday, but he told me he did not want to see the machine — that he had more confidence in my opinion of it than he would have if he had seen it himself [MTP]. Note: in earlier days Mackay was often pronounced “Mackey” and sometimes spelled that way, as Joe does here. I toured his mansion in Virginia City in 1986 and the guide continually used “Mackey.”