August 9 Wednesday – In Krankenheil-Tölz, Germany Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall.

Won’t you have the enclosed brief Romance [“Esquimau Maiden’s Romance”] very very carefully type-written (you carefully correcting it afterward yourself)?

I enclose a non-committal letter for you to type-write and sign and send to Mr. Rush — as a feeler (after speaking to Walker). Rush probably won’t want any literature at that figure. He’ll not answer the letter, I guess. But if he should want it I think it a good idea to trade with him, for his magazine is obscure and I don’t want to appear in print in the full glare of the big magazines too often.

Sam referred to John Brisben Walker for Cosmopolitan, who had taken serialized rights to PW, and so probably wouldn’t also want “Esquimau” — though if he did he could buy it. Mr. Rush and his obscure magazine have proven so obscure the MTP has not been able to identify them. However, Sam’s next letter which may have been enclosed was addressed to Sam S. Rush. Sam also expressed that it had felt like “a long year,” for both Hall and himself: “I never knew the almanac to drag on so” [MTLTP 357-8 & notes]. Note: the “Esquimau” story first ran in Cosmopolitan for Nov. 1893, and later collected in The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories and Essays (1900), and My Debut as a Literary Person, Etc. (1903) [Budd, Collected 2: 1001].

Sam’s notebook:

Aug. 9 Sent Esquimaux to Hall — told him to tell (Louisville) his man my price is $150 per 1000 words [NB 33 TS 25]. Note: the Louisville man may have been Sam Stone Rush.

Sam also wrote the letter to Sam S. Rush for Fred Hall to sign, naming the price for his short stories, and expressing Twain’s reluctance to write anything on contract, but when Hall received a story he would let Rush know if he so chose. Rush wrote to Sam on July 19 and his letter had been forwarded to Hall [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Albert Hamann, hoping that some engagement can be met for a “drive 3 hours” with Jean and Livy to bring Albert’s daughter (unnamed) for a visit.

I know that the children will have a happy time here; & if the project can be carried out, the Clemenses, large & small, will be sincerely glad [MTP].