September 6, 1892 Tuesday

September 6 TuesdayFrederick J. Hall wrote to Sam. Though the letter is not extant, from Sam’s Sept. 23 reply, some of the substance of Hall’s letter is known. He sent notes, likely from the Mt. Morris Bank for Sam to sign. These were part of the added debt needed to keep Webster & Co. afloat, and to pay for much of the publication costs on a raft of books that Hall chose to publish during the year.

September 5, 1892 Monday

September 5 Monday – In Bad Nauheim Sam added a PS to his Sept. 4 letter to Hall. He advised that the cholera quarantine would not stop the shipment of his Tom Sawyer MS, or so the Consul General had advised. He asked Hall to cable him “Sawyer received” c/o Drexel Harjes & Co. in Paris once the MS arrived. He added that Warner was making more than $200 a page on his current position writing the “Editor’s Study,” in Harper’s, Howells’ old post.

September 4, 1892 Sunday

September 4 Sunday – In Bad Nauheim Sam began a letter to Frederick J. Hall that he finished the next day. Sam discussed page rates by Harper’s and compared his pay to Charles Dudley Warners. He counted his work as worth double Warner’s, and expected Hall to use that idea in negotiating rates. By this letter he’d settled on the title of Tom Sawyer Abroad, and had finished “Part I — In the Great Sahara”, about 40,000 words. He also announced another book in the works:

September 1, 1892 Thursday

September 1 ThursdayPlayers Club wrote to Sam that a panel had been marked with his name in the grill room, but as yet Sam had not filled the space with a mug. Sam must forward a mug marked with his name or surrender the space. The notice was forwarded to Florence. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Notified about the beer-mug at the Players.” [MTP].

August 30, 1892 Tuesday

August 30 Tuesday – In Bad Nauheim Sam responded to Chauncey Depews Aug. 28 note.

If you ain’t gone yet, I hope this word may catch you, for its mission is to wish you good luck, a happy voyage & a torpid conscience [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Lady Ann, Chandos-Pole, probably in London (See Depew’s request for Sam’s autograph, Aug. 28:

August 27, 1892 Saturday

August 27 Saturday – In Bad Nauheim Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore. Sam noted the failure of Marshall H. Mallory to come through with his offer to buy Sam’s interest in the typesetter. He was “already content with the situation” and would keep the royalties and wait. Sam mentioned receipt of Whitmore’s and Brer R’s letters (Henry C. Robinson).

August 26, 1892 Friday

August 26 FridayHenry C. Robinson wrote to Sam that Paige had secured the promise of three million dollars capital by Chicago investors, allowing enough time to have at least one machine on display at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. This three-page double-spaced typed letter discloses much of what Robinson found out about Paige (his new salary $5,000 a month), the Webster Mfg. Co. (“has a good name in Chicago”); and the capitalization behind the firm [MTHHR 12; MTP].

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