July 16 Tuesday – Thomas P. “Pet” McMurry boyhood pal of Sam wrote from Colony, Mo.
Dear Sam: / You may call this a piece of presumption—but I can’t help that—so few, so very few, of my boyhood acquaintances have become Literary Lights in the world, that I must not fail to keep up some kind of intercourse with those who have made their mark—“the cat you know, may smile at the King”—that is to say, I mean to keep up an intercourse, if I kin. If your memory extends so far back, you will recollect that when a boy, a little sandy-headed, curly-headed boy, nearly a quarter of a century ago, in the old Printing office at Hannibal, Mo, over the Brittingham Drug-Store, mounted upon a little box at the case, pulling away at a huge Cigar, or a diminutive pipe, you used to love to sing so well, the poor drunken man’s expression, who was supposed to have fallen in the rut by the wayside: “If ever I git up agin, I’ll stay up,—if I kin!” So with myself, I’ll keep up my acquaintance with so distinguished a personage, if I can.
Permit me to congratulate you upon the unprecedented success which has attended your efforts in the Literary world. It always affords me a great deal of pleasure to read your productions—consider them the natural offspring of that brain that was always so chuck-full of fun and mischief when a boy.
Do you recollect any of the many serious conflicts that mirth-loving brain of yours used to get you into with that diminutive creature, (as compared to your own gigantic proportions) Wales McCormick—how you used to call upon me to hold your Cigar, or Pipe, as the case might be, whilst you went entirely through him? He “still lives,” and is a resident of the City of Quincy, Ills. but like myself, has never made a great deal of noise in the World.
What has become of your mother & your brothers, Orion & Henry? Have never seen or heard of them since they left Muscatine, Iowa.
Have been here since the Spring of 1860. Have been in the mercantile business ever since 1854. Quit the printing business in 1853, at Louisville, Kentucky. Am the happy father of 5 children—4 girls and one boy—the boy is a great book-worm, and a fond admirer of yours—never fails to read all the productions from your pen that his eye catches. If he should get hold of “Roughing It,” he would at once be of the same turn of mind that the Southern people were in ’61, “want to be let alone” until he devoured it.
Will not weary your patience farther at this time. As you are convenient to the Artist, enclose your Photograph, when you write, & let us see how you look since you have growed up to be a man. Will take pleasure in giving it a conspicuous place in our Picture gallery.
Your old friend, / T. “Pet” McMurry
P.S. Don’t get vain of your reputation. Your reputation don’t extend to every nook and corner yet. Wanted to show off a little this morning while penning this, and remarked to a lady acquaintance of some intelligence who stepped into the store, that I was engaged in the dignified task of writing a letter to that distinguished character, “Mark Twain.” “Who is Mark Twain?” was the reply. Had she been a man, should have taken her to be of that class who still persist in voting for Gen. Jackson. So you see there is a great work for you to do yet, before your name is a universal household word, particularly in the rural districts.
Yours, / “Pet.” / [MTPO]. Note: any reply has been lost, though on May 6, 1873 Sam ordered IA be sent.
July 16 or 17 Wednesday – Sam wrote from New Saybrook to Joseph L. Blamire, sending the preface for the English version for the second volume (two volumes were printed for the English publication) of Innocents Abroad [MTL 5: 119].