April 25 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Augustin Daly, who had sent him “a beautiful book” — probably the “book printed from the prompter’s copy of the play, [Taming of the Shrew] adorned by photogravures of Miss, Rehan, Drew, and the supper scene in the last act” [N.Y. Times, Apr. 14, 1887 p.5 “Shakespeare at Daly’s”]. Sam wanted to be remembered to the actors Miss Ada Rehan and Mrs. William Gilbert and Miss Virginia Dreher (1858?–1898) who were at the Apr. 13-14 midnight dinner at Daly’s Theatre.
I’ll bring my wife in a few days if you’ll give us first-class parquet seats at author’s per centage off [MTP].
Sam also answered Howells’ letter of Apr. 20. He confided he’d been “laid up.” The Mutual Publishing Co. Howells asked about was “buried in the stomach of” the American Publishing Co. Sam wasn’t any help on referring Howells to “adequate descriptions of a blizzard. Or of a cyclone, either” and advised him to look in the Boston newspaper files. Sam also noted he’d received the play Colonel Sellers as a Scientist (The American Claimant) and thanked him for sending it. [MTP]. Note: this from MTHL 2: 591n2:
“When Clemens received the MS of the play from Howells he forwarded it to Burbank in New York with the suggestion that Burbank consult Edward H. House about revision of it. (House, it will be recalled, had had experience both in New York and in London as a theatrical manager and producer.) House was encouraging: he considered the piece ‘well worth trying’ (Burbank to SLC, New York, 10 May 1887).”
Sam also wrote a short note to James B. Pond, once again swearing he would “never hoof a platform again.” Sam agreed to “entertain Max & his wife — & possibly Dickens too.” Note: Charles Dickens died in 1870; this was his son Charles Culliford Boz Dickens (1837-1896), who Pond was bringing to the U.S. for a reading tour of his father’s works. Sam would invite this Dickens to visit on Nov. 10. See MTNJ 3: 341n125. Max and wife are not further identified.
Sam also wrote to an unidentified man that he would “very well like to,” but his contracts prevented him [MTP]. Note: no doubt a request was made for Sam to contribute a piece of writing.
Sam also wrote a short letter to Charles Webster, asking for two copies of P&P to be bound in tree calf, and for one to be marked in gilt letters, “H.B. Stowe,” and the other “M. Warner, [Margaret or “Daisy”] & send both to me.”
The other day Mrs. Stowe said “I am reading your Prince & Pauper for the fourth time, & I know it’s the best book for young people that was ever written!” [MTLTP 216].
Note: Sam wrote diagonally in the top left corner: “Six years well earned!” (relating to Scott’s sentence) [n3].
Charles Webster wrote on or about this day to Sam that he had convinced the accounting expert to delay his Kansas City trip to produce the two-year statement they required. He reported profit on the McClellan book at $32,000, mostly “not collected but just coming due and all good.” [MTP].
William H. Gillette wrote to Sam and enclosed $1,000 to repay his $3,000 debt, Sam’s 1874 “investment” in Gillette’s start on stage; Gillette asked what “would be a fair thing as to interest”? [MTP].