November 5 Saturday – Sam’s article, “A Reminiscence of the Back Settlements,” which had appeared in the November issue of the Galaxy, was printed in the Buffalo Express [McCullough 248].

Sam wrote from Buffalo to Orion advising him that Bliss was offering a position to Orion, hoping to keep Sam from “whoring after strange gods,” which, Sam wrote, “…is Scripture for deserting to other publishers.” Sam offered to send Orion $100 for his passage to Fredonia, being unwilling to accept any company “while Livy is in such a delicate state.” In 1906 Sam blamed a rushed carriage ride to the depot to deliver a friend for Livy’s near miscarriage [MTL 4: 219-222].

Sam then wrote to Elisha Bliss about Orion:

“It is a splendid idea! He will make a tip-top editor—a better than I, because he is full of talent & besides is perfectly faithful, honest, straightforward & reliable. There isn’t money enough in America to get him to do a dishonest act—whereas I am different” [MTL 4: 223].

Sam also wrote to Mary Mason Fairbanks. Sam wrote that Livy was “doing pretty well,” and that Mary should “Come along here, now, as soon as possible, & prune my manuscript. Don’t delay” [MTL 4: 224].

Mortimer Neal Thomson (Q.K. Philander Doesticks, P.B.) wrote to thank Sam for a copy of IA and the dedication, “I enclose the chirographic your Publishers attempted to inflict on me as your genuine autograph” (pasted in the letter a cutout of a reproduction signature) [MTP].