December 19 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam finished the letter that he and Livy began on Dec. 14. Livy was “scouring around all the time, after economical Christmas presents” and,

All are well, here, except Livy & Clara & Susie Clemens & Theodore & me — & we are improving [MTP].

Fritz Vollmer wrote from Leipzig, Germany to Sam. A drama Vollmer had written bore a striking resemblance to one of Sam’s sketches, “The Novel of the Middle Age.” He would not continue work and “be charged with plagiarism,” and so begged Sam “to advertise [advise] me, if you have an objection against the accomplishment of my drama” [MTP].

Fred Hall of Webster & Co. wrote to Sam that he had not heard back about the “form of contract” to buy Webster out, so had telegraphed him this day. At issue was Webster’s demand that the firm “give security against Mr. Webster’s actions when he was a member of the firm” [MTP].