December 18 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to H.C. Christiancy, of the Detroit Custom House who wanted to know if Sam would pay the duty on pirated books (Roughing It in this case) seized at the Canadian border. As the law then stood, Sam had the right to deny entry of pirated material, but in order to seize it, would have to pay import duties on the material.
December 17 Saturday – From Sam’s notebook: “Dec. 17 — 14,000” [MTNJ 3: 359].
Webster & Co. Wrote to Sam: “Your telegram telling us to go ahead with the book, and also the telegram about the paper, is received.” The paper was rushed to Hartford and should be there now [MTP].
December 16 Friday – Richard W. Gilder for Century Magazine wrote to Sam arguing against proposed legislation (the Pearsall Smith matter) he felt would be strongly opposed and unconstitutional [MTP].
December 15 Thursday – Webster & Co. Wrote to Sam that his telegram was received asking for a certain kind of paper, which the mills were urged to rush. The prospectus of the Library of Humor was ready, save the bios and the preface; other details discussed about the book [MTP].
George Walton Green wrote from N.Y. to Sam thanking him for taking part in the Nov. 28 Authors’ Readings in Chickering Hall [MTP].
December 14 Wednesday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam, evidently responding to Sam’s veto on the interview with the St. Louis Republican. Orion agreed the man would “get nothing contraband out of this oyster.”; Ma hacked all night; Orion enclosed a waybill for hickory nuts sent; he never got the Pope book [MTP].
Eva G. Goddard wrote a “begging letter” from Terrell, Tex. Asking for a book with a picture [MTP].
December 13 Tuesday – Funk & Wagnalls wrote offering Sam $1,000 for ten articles (1500 words each) on “The People I have Met,” or “Several Chapters From my Life” [MTP].
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
3936 E. Steger & Co. 0.80
3937 Estes & Lauriat 3.60 Boston Bookseller
3938 Mr. A.A. Welch 4.00
December 12 Monday – Charles J. Devlin on Spring Valley Coal, Ill. letterhead acknowledged receipt of Sam’s letter and that they were transferring the books “over to the K. of L. Library” [MTP].
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
3935 Mrs. J.H. Barton 30.00
December 10 Saturday – From the New York Times of this date, p.4 (See also Nov. 7)
KNIGHTS OF THE ORDER OF PIUS
December 9 Friday – From Sam’s notebook, another co. bank balance: 15,076.79. Draft & notes due, $554 [MTNJ 3: 359].
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
3933 Mr. James Quin[n] 40.00 RR Agent
December 8 Thursday – In Hartford Sam answered Orion Clemens’ Dec. 5 letter. Sam felt he’d never given an interviewer or biographer any information that he wanted to someday put in his autobiography; he hated “all mention of my private history, anyway.