October 1 Sunday – At the Queen Anne Residential Mansions & hotel, London, Sam wrote to Frank Bliss.

We reached England last night. May remain here till spring, to let Jean continue the treatment which is restoring her health.

I have signed the application for copyright & will send it.

What have the Harpers to do with my English editions?

Mrs. Clemens hereby acknowledges receipt of your check for $2246.34.

Sam did not anticipate any objection by the Harpers should Bliss use his article, “Concerning the Jews” in a new volume of the Uniform Edition [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Harper & Brothers, and sent Bliss a copy of this letter.

Yes, I think too it is nearly time for a new book but if I place it with you you mustn’t give me a lot more trouble with Bliss. He wanted to put the Jew article in his last Uniform volume and why shouldn’t he? Why should he be afraid you will object? The other magazines will not object. They will not object to my using in a new volume of short things the various articles you mention knowing as they do that they will go from that into the Uniform edition of my books.

I am answering your London house about the Christian Science stuff so that they will be able to cable you to-morrow (Monday). It isn’t a “book”—it’s 3 articles. I wanted to publish one of them, & as you prefer stories I sent it to the Cosmopolitan. I reserve the others [MTP]. Note: This letter appears to be in response to Harpers’ objections to Bliss including articles for the last volume in the Uniform edition. Harpers’ incoming letter is not extant.

Sam also wrote to H.F. Gordon Forbes.

I am to be a lonely bachelor Wednesday evening [Oct. 4], & if you could drop in about 8.30 or thereabouts we could have that talk & settle those doubtful matters in a comfortable & undisturbed way, & I would be very glad.

We arrived from Sweden last night, & I have been writing letters all day & up till now—& just the weather for it, too. I have a dull unpleasant instinct that by the time I finish & get to bed there’ll be thunder of guns & stench of gunpowder up from South Africa… [MTP].

Notes: See Sept. 15 to Forbes. The Boer War broke out on Oct. 11, 1899. between the two former republics (Free State and Transvaal) and Britain. As the war escalated England brought reinforcements from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other colonies. The war lasted three years with extremely high casualty rate on both sides.

Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, complaining that since his promise five years before to send monthly statements, Whitmore had kept the promise two percent of the time. Also, Sam had just received a forwarded letter from Whitmore that was six months old. Sam also complained about the taxes on his Farmington Ave. home:

I understood Mr. Dunham to say that real estate was taxed in Hartford at what it would probably bring at auction. In that case my Hartford tax is as much as 40 per cent too much, & the tax was always too much from the time the house was built. … I wish the house would burn down. See that the insurance is kept up; & don’t give the alarm if it catches fire [MTP].