August 7 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Howells.

I have no doubt I am doing a most criminal thing & outrageous thing—for I am sending you these infernal Huck Finn proofs—but the very last vestige of my patience has gone to the devil, & I cannot bear the sight of another slip of them. My hair turns white with rage, at the sight of the mere outside of the package; & this time I didn’t even try to glance inside it, but re-enveloped it at once, & directed it to you. Now you’re not to read it unless you really don’t mind it—you’re only to re-ship it to Webster & tell him, from me, to read the remnant of the book himself, & send no more slips to me, under any circumstances. Will you? / Blackguard me if you want to—I deserve it.

Sam also told of Dr. Rachel Brooks Gleason of the Elmira Water Cure visiting in the evening with Miss Ella Wolcott, a friend of the Langdons, who quoted one of the invalids from the Water Cure. The quote put Howells, Henry James, Walt Whitman, Swinburne, and Shakespeare at the same level—“when you’ve read one, you’ve read ‘em all!” [MTHL 2: 497-8].

Karl Gerhardt was at Quarry Farm sculpting a bust of Sam [MTP]. Note: see picture insert earlier.

Sam also wrote a note to Charles Webster that he’d “miscalculated” his fortitude. “I can’t read any more proof.” Sam let Webster know that he’d sent the proofs on to Howells, who might return them to Webster to read, and if so, Sam would take them again and get his “profanity together & tackle it” [MTP].

George Gebbie wrote to Clemens, relating the history of the humor book and enclosing a prospectus for his The Library of Wit and Humor, which he sent Sam by express [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “No Answer / wants to use his name in Library Wit & H. Also refers to prop of 4 years ago”

Bissell & Co. per George H. Burt wrote to advise that Am. Express paid dividends in Sept [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Explaining Am Ex dividend”