June 27 Friday – Orion Clemens began a letter to Sam he finished June 28. He thanked him for the monthly $200 check. “Ma is doing very well. Tells fabulous stories, and is restless and is uncertain in her walk, on account of the weakness in her left side…” [MTP].

Frederick J. Hall, concerned with how he might squeeze cash from the company to meet Sam’s needs, wrote then sent a telegram, which read: “Await letter just mailed before answering mine yesterday regarding royalties” [MTP]. Hall’s letter reveals much of the inner workings and strategies of the company, at a time when installment sales and a waning subscription market made for cash flow problems:

I have just thought of a plan that will perhaps enable me to do very much better than I mentioned in my letter to you yesterday.

The $3500 which Gill owes us is for a job lot of books — some Grant, some Sheridan, and, principally, Huck Finn and Prince & Pauper. When he buys in large lots this way we always have to give him time and accept his notes in payment, but he has plenty of money and is very often willing to discount his bills at 2 ½ %. I will write him to-day asking him if it would be convenient for him to give us cash…if he will do so we will give him a 2 ½ % discount. If he does this I shall be able to turn over twelve or fifteen hundred dollars to you at once — may, possibly, be able to get it to you by the first of July, but, of course, I cannot promise this absolutely by that time, as I do not know how Gill will be situated. Peale owes us some six or seven hundred dollars and I have written him stirring him up.

If $500 will be of any help to you, I can promise that absolutely by the first of July no matter whether we hear from Gill and Peale or not.

I have been thinking about the matter constantly since I received your letter [recent one not extant], and I can assure you that I appreciate the injustice of taking money due you as author and putting it into the manufacture of other people’s books. I do not see how it could be helped under the circumstances. Mr. Brokaw is now at work on your statement and I shall make it a point right along to send you every cent of money we can possibly spare until our indebtedness to you as author is wiped out. The mere fact that you are a member of the firm is no reason why you should wait for your royalties any more than Mr. Stedman, Mrs. Sheridan, or anyone else. I appreciate this fact thoroughly [MTP].

Note: Hall also discussed his recent trip to Minneapolis, helping Mr. Perry there straighten up his books; and, the delays involved in Vol. XI of LAL, with changes to the index being very complicated and expensive; he mentioned a bill to J.J. Little & Co., printers would come to about 1,500 or 1,600 dollars; Stedman’s delay had forced the publication to June, “the dullest time of the year.” Hall added a handwritten PS that he “ought to be able to send…$2000.00 or $2500.00 by Aug.1st.”