July 12 Friday – Sam wrote from New Saybrook to Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, inquiring about the cost of a Gatling gun, possibly for John Henry Riley [MTL 5: 118].

James Redpath wrote to Sam.

Dear Mark: / About biz first: Will you? or Wont you? Lecture committees are getting importunate about you. We have $7000 or $8000 of engagements recorded for you—“if he lectures.” And this is only July 12! Here is a list of cities applying as entered: Baltimore, Ithaca, Brooklyn, Elmira, Toledo, Bay City, Elizabeth, Jacksonville, Brooklyn, Minneapolis, New burg, Watertown, Rockford, Monmouth, Brooklyn, Baltimore, Titusville, Cambridgeport, St Pauls, Lawrence (Kansas) Waterloo (Ia) Palmyra, Natick, Monmouth, Lancaster (Pa) Evansville, Pittsburg, New Bedford, Cairo, Middle-town, Lewiston, Phila, St Louis, St Paul, Poughkeepsie, Brooklyn, New York City, Jersey City, Stamford, Buffalo, Brooklyn again, Brockport, Sing Sing, Cincinnatti, Jersey City again, Plainfield, Toledo, Athol Depot, Boston. This is a heavy list for so early in the season. Wherever the same town is repeated the 2dor 3d application came from different parties.

As soon as we can say that you will lecture the list can be extended & dates fixed. What say? We want to announce yr subject as well as the fact that you will lecture.

When will you decide?

Is there anything particularly disagreeable that you wd like said about you in the N. Y. Independent? I rushed off an article called “The Americans who Laugh” & made the first on Nasby as his publisher here importuned me. It is just published & I want to go for you next.

I have been so thoroughly played out with heat & things that I believe I did not write to say that I was perfectly delighted with your “Roughing It.”—But, there, if I go on you won’t care about reading my article & if I have stood 400 of your pages there is no reason why you shdn’t stand a column from me.

Yours in a parboiled “state of nature,” … [MTPO]. Note: Clemens replied on July 18.