October 24 Monday – Sam contracted with the Tiffany & Co. “For the sum of Five Thousand dollars” to cover the ceilings and walls of their library with metal leaf [MTNJ 2: 399-400n149].

Sam wrote to Edward House thanking him profusely for a suggested solution for the baronet error in P&P [MTP].

Sam also wrote two letters to James R. Osgood:

Here is an article which I have been three years in the building [“Mental Telegraphy”]. Scribner’s folks have asked for an article, and I was going to send them this; but I reflected, and this is the result: this must go into the North American Review, else every ass of a reader will believe I invented these things, instead of experiencing them [MTLTP 142].

The article was rejected by the Review, perhaps anticipated by Sam, because he wrote the back up choice would be Century Magazine (published by Scribner’s). The second letter to Osgood enclosed House’s letter about the fix for the baronet error. Sam asked Osgood to cable Chatto about the fix [MTP].

Sam also wrote thanks to William D. Whitney for the recent hospitality shown him on Oct. 22 in New Haven. He also apologized for evidently dozing off after the luncheon:

…for being so stupid, so lifeless, from the close of the luncheon onward. It was just one of those things which couldn’t be helped: I had lost the bulk of my sleep the night before—an accident I was not used to; I had gorged like an anaconda, at luncheon—& the accident of a good appetite was another novelty: the criminal result was, that I was ostensibly dead, only, whereas I ought to have been so in reality, & served me right.

Sam also thanked Whitney’s daughter Marian for the flowers, which Sam “got home all right & kept …in the ice-box over night” with good results [MTP].

Joe Goodman wrote to Clemens:

“So long a time has slipped by since your favor from the Elmira farm was written that I judge you must be back in Hartford again: hence shall direct there. It was singular that I should have been thinking of your ‘Hamlet’ scheme just before your letter came. I still believe it would make an immense hit if you chanced to get the brother sandwiched in happily. I spoke to Barrett about the design once. Though struck by the novelty and ludicrousness of the idea, he appeared to think it would be an unwarrantable desecration. That is twaddle. I hold much of the opinion of Shakespeare that Byron expressed to Moore—that he is a d—d humbug. He himself was always ridiculing other playwrights, and it is only fair that some one should retaliate upon him.”

Joe also wrote he was anxious to read P&P. He noted Sam should “insist upon your Hartford publishers having a better proof-reader. I found a good many errors in your books, mostly typographical fortunately, but inexcusable in a first-class printing establishment. Dan’s ‘Big Bonanza’ was the worst butchered book I ever saw. There is one error running persistently throughout your works that I can’t account for unless you insist upon it—that is, spelling champagne champaign. Where do you find the authority for it?”

He didn’t know if he might “every try to do any writing again” since his health was bad; he could “scarcely move or breathe from rheumatism in his spine and chest” [MTP]. Note: on the top of the letter Sam wrote, “My ‘Hamlet’ had not been mentioned for years. SLC. I but happened to mention it in the letter he refers to.”

Louis Comfort Tiffany wrote to Clemens with an estimate of $5,000 to “decorate certain rooms in your dwelling in Hartford” [MTP]