September 14 Friday – In Etretat, France Sam wrote to his old friend William Dean Howells upon learning of the Aug. 28 death of Howells’ father, William Cooper Howells (1807-1894).

I have heard of your bereavement, & am aware through talks with John [Mead Howells] how heavy a stroke it was for you. It was a happy thing you went home; you would have reproached yourself else. Sympathy is for the living; & sincerely you have mine. Envy is for the dead [MTP].

Sam also sent a letter of his thoughts and progress to H.H. Rogers. After asking about Rogers’ struggle to prevent another company from providing gas service to Brooklyn, a Standard Oil territory, Sam remarked on an offer made by George Barrow of Skaneateles, N.Y. (a Webster & Co. creditor owed $15,420), to buy some of the assets of Webster & Co. for $9,000 — “Mr. Hall’s poor old literary ash-pile” was worth more than Sam thought believable. He also was concerned about Livy’s stock and commission due Rogers of some 750 shares. He then addressed the upcoming Chicago Herald test for the newly constructed Paige typesetter. James Wilmot Scott (1849-1895), founder and publisher of the Herald, planned to issue a supplement for the paper printed entirely by the machine.

Necessarily you are right about postponing Scott’s “Supplement” till the end of the test. But I am hoping that the test will go through to your satisfaction, so that Scott can whack out his supplement then and with a full head of steam. We have always kept the machine out of print before, but that was because it wasn’t ready for business, and therefore no use to waste a fragrance that could come good another time. …

Yesterday I found a letter which I wrote you and mislaid, I don’t know when — all ready for the mail. To-day I find some more letters — 2 — for people on the other side — I don’t know when I wrote them. I wish I had a nurse — any kind, wet or dry. Understand, I’m not alarmed; I have not lost my mind, but only my sense. And I don’t really care for that; it was never around when I wanted it.

I am shoving my work along — not swiftly, but persistently, steadily, surely; and not losing a day that can be saved. I have now written 224 pages, which is say, 25,000 words [MTHHR 74-5].

Chatto & Windus wrote to Sam: Upon receipt of your letter we cabled to Mr. Bainbridge Colby…the following: “Will not publish Puddnhead until you give date, cable when expect illustrations.” We therefore shall hold our edition back until we both can simultane, as a matter of fact we are still waiting the arrival of the illustrations, but we can issue without them if necessary” [MTP].