October 7 Saturday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote a long letter to Frederick A. Duneka about “A Horse’s Tale.” Proofs sent to me here before October 17 or to 21 Fifth Avenue, after November 3, will get immediate attention…I’ve made a poor guess as to the number of words. I think there must be 20,000. My usual page of MS. Contains about 130 words; but when I am deeply interested in my work and dead to everything else, my hand-write shrinks and shrinks until there’s a great deal more than 130 on a page…this tale is written in that small hand.

October 6 Friday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to daughter Clara, soon to be at 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y., where Sam addressed the letter:

Why, you little rat, somebody had to be blamed, so I selected [Dr. Edward] Quintard in place of myself. I was thinking of having him hanged, but for your sake I will let him off, for the present.

So you have got at the “real cause” of your ill turn, & it was a doctor. I could have told you that much. It’s an awful trade for a Christian.

October 5 Thursday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

At 3 p.m. to-day I finished the fifth & last revising of “A Horse’s Tale” & am going to bed & stay there 2 weeks, for I am a free person once more. I have worked like a slave, from morning till—well, all day,—for I don’t know how many consecutive days [He began Sept. 23], & have enjoyed it ever so much—thoroughly, in fact—but I’m as tired as a dog.

October 4 Wednesday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to daughter Clara, c/o Miss Gordon, 117 W. 69th NYC. Only the envelope survives [MTP].

October 3 Tuesday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam finished his Oct. 1 to daughter Clara.

October 2 Monday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to Frederick A. Duneka of Harper’s.

I have just finished a short story which I “greatly admire,” & so will you—“A Horse’s Tale”— about 15,000 words, at a rough guess. It has good fun in it, & several characters, & is lively. I shall finish revising & re-revising it & re-revising it in a few days or more, then Jean will type

Don’t you think you can get it into the Jan. & Feb. numbers & issue it as a dollar booklet just after the middle of Jan when you issue the Feb. number?

October 1 Sunday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam began a letter (that he finished Oct. 3) to daughter Clara, in care of Katy Leary in N.Y.C..

October – Sam sent an aphorism to an unknown person: “Taking the pledge will not make bad liquor good, but it will improve it.” [MTP].

Current Literature published a photograph (no credit given) of Mark Twain, facing p. 353 [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Third Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1979 p. 190].

Sam inscribed his copy of Roman Society from Nero to Marcus Aurelius, by Sir Samuel Dill (1844-1924): “SL. Clemens / October 1905” [Gribben 193].