April 3 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Blakely Hall, the editor of the magazine Truth. Established in 1881, Truth began as a small weekly covering New York City life. 1891 brought additional financial backers and Hall, who was already a well-known editor. He made over the magazine as a glossy, lavishly illustrated magazine of humor, fiction, reviews, poetry, and cartoons. Truth became famous for including three lithographs in each issue, but most notably for increasingly daring pictures of actresses and women in bathing suits. Hall must have solicited an article from Sam, whose answer may have reflected antipathy toward the magazine as well as his pressing need for income. He did have an article in mind, one some thirteen years old:
My great trouble is, that I can’t find any publication rich enough to buy my miscellaneous matter. You see, as I write only one such article a year, I’m obliged to charge the same as if it took me the whole year to write it….It is 9,000 words, & possibly more, & can’t be split in two; so I don’t suppose you could afford the necessary space for it; but anyway I’m glad to have struck a new candidate, a new harbor where I can drop my anchor & rest over a mail….But wait — by & by I shall be writing a shorter article [MTP]. Note: the long article Sam may have been shopping was “Mental Telegraphy,” which was published in Harper’s for Dec. 1891.
In Boston William Dean Howells wrote to Sam enclosing a letter from Charles Wolcott Balestier, friend of Henry James and brother-in-law of Rudyard Kipling. Howells vouched for Balestier, who had partnered up with Heinemann of London. The pair hoped to publish American works in Europe in direct competition with Tauchnitz, who had stopped adding Howells’ books to his series. Howells also asked if Sam had received “the little Swedenborg book” and the play. Elinor Howells was ill and staying at Auburndale [MTHL 2: 640].
Sam also wrote to Frederick J. Hall. He liked the looks of Mark Twain’s Memory Builder game and thought, “it will score a success.” He found one small error and questioned whether the patent notice must also bear the day of the month [MTP].
Franklin G. Whitmore wrote for Sam to William D. Kelly of the Clearfield Bituminous Coal Corp. referring to the two dates that bonds and stock were returned (Jan. 3, 1888 and July 11, 1889); there were no more bonds to return [MTP].
Frank Bliss of the American Publishing Co. wrote to Sam. Bliss had been notified of Webster & Co.’s plans to publish a one-dollar edition of HF. Bliss thought such a cheap edition was a “mistake,” which would injure their sales of Sam’s other books (HF was the first book issued by Webster & Co.) [MTNJ 3: 613n142]. See Hall’s Apr. 8.
Walter H. Page for Forum wrote offering to read “Mental Telegraphy.” Sam decided the next day to send the piece to Harper’s, who paid $500 for it and published in their Dec. 1891 issue. Sam’s notebook for this period reveals a plan not followed: to include the piece as an appendix to The American Claimant [MTNJ 3: 617].
Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam enclosing a canceled note just renewed. Orders for Sherman were “coming in nicely.” Was Sam coming to the Authors’ International Copyright Dinner? He enclosed a notice and would secure a ticket if so ordered. Just short of $6,000 in collections on LAL were made during March [MTP].
Annie B. Jennings wrote to Sam enclosing tickets for the Apr. 22 N.Y. YWCA readings, compliments of the committee. On the envelope Sam wrote, “Thank her” [MTP].