March 5 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Orion agreeing to look at Orion’s manuscript. He answered questions about Kaolatype patent, rights, etc. He ended the short letter by saying he’d:

“…added 114 pages to Prince & Pauper. I thought that might almost complete it, but it doesn’t bring it to the middle, I judge” [MTLE 5: 32].

Sam also wrote to Howells in Belmont, Mass.

I reckon you are dead again, but no matter, I will heave a line at the corpse. I have really nothing to say, though, except that Mrs. C. & I are going to spend a week secretly in a Boston hotel, by & by, & hope you & Mrs. Howells will not be sorry to hear it—for, upon the honor of a man & a scribe, we shall not be incensed if you do nothing more than drop in & say howdy-do, for we know what it is to be busy & have a wife whose health requires peace, & rest from social taxing.

Sam was glad that the “troublesome book” (Tramp) was at last out of his sight, even if Belford threatened to “glut the market at half-a-dollar within ten days after” issue. 25,000 orders had been received, a start Sam considered “not very satisfactory” [MTLE 5: 33].