October 30 Monday – In London, England, Sam replied to Henry M. Alden, whose incoming letter is possibly that of Oct. 12. Alden had enclosed letters showing good relations between Harpers and Frank Bliss, which gratified Sam. Alden evidently asked for any unpublished work Sam still had; Sam replied that only two short unpublished pieces remained—“Great Republic’s Peanut Stand,” which Alden already had, and two short chapters in Sam’s planned book on Christian Science. Also, The N.Y. World asked for a sketch of 2,000 words on Lying, for $500, and I wrote it the day before yesterday, and if I still like it after examining it in type-copy tomorrow, I will let them have it. I think it will be 3,000 words before I get done fussing at it and injecting nonsense. Maybe the World may object to letting it go in the book; I don’t know; I have never written anything for the World before, except a cablegram [MTP].
Note: Sam wrote the piece on Queen Victoria’s Jubilee for the NY World. Harpers was trying to fill out another volume for the Uniform Edition. Sam included a list of his writings and a PS after his signature; he asked that “advance sheets of the proposed volume of Sketches” be sent to Samuel McClure “so that he can hand them to Chatto in time for simultaning.”
Sam also wrote to Douglas B. Sladen declining an invitation: “I am leading a hermit life, & working like a pile-driver. I go nowhere except to places where I shan’t meet people. It’s the only way to keep one’s interest from flying the track on a long steady literary pull” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to James M. Tuohy of the New York World about his article “My First Lie and How I Got Out of It.”
It is finished, & tomorrow I will read it over & see if I want to make any alterations.
It makes 3,200 words & upwards.
But now that I come to read your letter in an unhasty way (I was in my shirt before & your messenger was waiting,) I find that the offer is £100. But my basis was $500. I don’t mind a mistake of 5 or 6 percent, when it is in my favor, but I am full of prejudices against it when it is the other way [MTP]. Note: the exchange rate at that time was approx. 4:1.