December 31 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster, enclosing a photograph of baby Jean that Sam wanted 100 copies of, or at least he wanted a quote for that many. Sam also included another business idea, to “keep on hand a variety of cuts [type-cuts] for mercantile advertisements in country newspapers” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to James R. Osgood. Never mind my request of Dec. 28, Sam wrote. The Cranes had recommended a gentleman as Sam’s stenographer-companion for his upcoming Mississippi travels—the coal-firm’s young phonographer. “He will not be expensive.” This arrangement did not work out, so that Osgood then chose Roswell H. Phelps (1845–1907), a stenographer for the Continental Life Insurance Co. of Hartford [MTNJ 2: 517].
Sam was still aiming at revenge for supposed swindles by his former publisher.
Have you evidence of the American Pub Co working against us upon which I could found a suit? Am going for them anyway, and might as well have 2 suits as one….My New York lawyer will begin to move in my American Pub. Co. suit early, now. I shall want to show that the Co paid more for paper and binding than they needed to pay; and I shall want you to help me do this, thorough figures obtained from Fairchild and bookbinders. I judge I can get my copyrights out of those fellows; and then they may just as well shut up shop [MTLTP 149]. Note: Securing his copyrights was Sam’s sole aim; he was moving toward control by self-publishing.
Sam also wrote to Phillip A. Rollins, evidently some official connected with the Dec. 22 New England Society affair Sam attended in Philadelphia. Sam thanked him for “a most enjoyable time” there, “& a part of it I owe to you …” Referring to the speech he’d given there, which evidently Rollins was going to have printed in some collection, Sam wrote:
“I haven’t seen that speech in print, yet, & so I don’t know whether it will need correcting or not. However, such things always do get more or less crippled by the compositors…if you will send me the proof of my speech I shall be glad to revise & correct it” [MTP].
E.W. Howe, for the Atchison (Kansas) Globe, wrote:
Mark Twain’s career is nearly at an end. The paragraphists have commenced to pelt him, and they will finish him before they get through. His wit has been watered until it is without flavor [Tenney 10].
Hubbard & Farmer bankers & brokers sent a statement with a cr. balance of $11,582.01 [MTP].
Dean Sage wrote to thank Sam for the gift of P&P [MTP].