December 24 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Washington, D.C. to Emily A. Severance about the death of Mrs. Fairbanks’ mother. After expressed sympathies, he wrote: “I am in a fidget to move. It isn’t a novel sensation, though—I never was any other way.” Sam also expressed support for the reciprocal treaty with Hawaii, probably due to Senator Stewart and Edward McCook’s support for it [MTL 2: 137-8]. Sam left Washington, D.C. probably by evening train, for New York [Sanborn 379].

The following squib ran in the Hartford Courant:

Mark Twain, one of the funniest writers of the day, who was one of the Quaker City excursionists, is preparing a volume descriptive of their voyage. It will be published by the American Publishing company of this city, and those who have laughed over Mark’s story of the Jumping Frog of Calaveras, Jim Wolfe and the Cats, or his inimitable letters from Italy and Palestine, will be apt to buy it. [“City and Vicinity,” Hartford Courant, p. 8].

Elisha Bliss wrote to Sam

Samuel L. Clemens Esq. Tribune Rooms, Washington D.C.

Dear Sir:

I have a few moments leisure and I shall spend them in writing you as I promised. Have you seen Mr. Richardson at your office? I suppose you have. I spoke to him about your work as talked of by us and asked him to give you some particulars or information regarding our operation, manner of doing business etc. I hope he has done so. I see it announced in one of our morning papers that you are engaged in writing a book or preparing one and that we are to publish it. How it got there is beyond my comprehension. Now about the book, We would like to have you get us up one. We can handle it we think to the advantage of both of us. We shall probably bring out Richardson’s new work and we can swing yours also easily and successfully. We think we see clearly that the book would sell; a humorous work, that is to say, a work humorously inclined we believe it, and Richardson’s work we think owe a good deal of their popularity to their spicy nature. The first thing then is, will you make a book? For material we should suggest your collected letters, revamped and worked over and all the other matter you can command, connected [single extant page ends here] [MTP]. Note: Albert Deane Richardson had made but a 4% royalty on his work.