August 11 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Elisha Bliss: “This is a house of mourning, now. My wife is nearly broken down with grief & watching.” In a lighter note, he recalled the exchange of letters he had with “that publisher,” probably the D. Appleton & Co.

I wrote that publisher that your bid was lower than his, but not enough lower to justify me in deserting you. He wrote back a hot answer, saying “he was surprised to hear me confess that his bid was the highest, & in the same letter say that I had awarded the book to you.” I sent him back a warm one in which I said I was surprised at his infernal impertinence—& then I talked sassy to him for a page or so & wound up by saying I judged he would be able from the foregoing to form a sort of shadow of an idea of my private opinion of him & his kind. If he didn’t go mighty slow I will print something personal about him [MTL 4: 184].