December 14 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Charles Webster, who in his Nov. 30 letter suggested a book from Henry M. Stanley would be a “good hit.” Sam agreed. He also referred a “Lieutenant Owen” (William Miller Owen, who in 1885 published a Civil War book with Ticknor & Co.) to Webster for a possible publication, calling him “not quite a stranger.” He also wrote of his sales job on Henry M. Stanley:

I have suggested, in a long letter mailed yesterday, an Autobiography to Stanley, & shown him how he can write it in the cars (he is a stenographer) in 105 days, one hour’s work a day. I said he could have our crowned-head rates — half the profits; & that I didn’t see why he shouldn’t clear $50,000 out of it, though that was a guess & would prove wrong in one direction or the other. [¶]. I see by this morning’s paper that he is likely to sail for Europe & Congo tomorrow. All right; he has of course received my letter this morning, & will have time to chew on it at sea [MTLTP 211]. Note: Stanley did sail on Dec. 15.

E.L. Osgood wrote to Sam (this letter was enclosed to William Smith, Dec. 15). Osgood wrote that his binders had overlooked his order to send the set of “Hartford History” (Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, edited by: James Hammond Trumbull LL.D. and published by Edward L. Osgood , 1886) to William Smith, the English author of Morley: Ancient and Modern, London (1886). (See Oct. 18 entry.) Osgood took care of the oversight and also responded to Sam’s invitation:

I shall very soon avail myself of your kind suggestion to come and teach you how to play billiards [MTP]. Note: what a not-so-subtle challenge!

December, mid – Sam’s notebook contains a reminder to telegram Webster to send “that article by Wednesday or it won’t reach here in time.” The notes say this was possibly a bureau Livy asked Webster to purchase for her [MTNJ 3: 269n143].