April 12 Tuesday – As reported by the Brooklyn Eagle of Apr. 13, 1887 p.5, Sam and Webster & Co. finally won a court case:
THE PUBLISHERS OF GRANT’S BOOK.
Mark Twain and His Partner Recover Some Heavy Amounts.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., April 13
Charles L. Webster and Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain), trading as Charles L. Webster & Co., yesterday won three cases before Judge Fell.
April 11 Monday – Alfred P. Burbank wrote Sam, once again interested in a possible production of Colonel Sellers as a Scientist (The American Claimant). With the recent death of John T. Raymond Burbank felt there was an opportunity for him to take on the popular character [MTHL 2: 591n2]. From this footnote in the cited text:
April 10 Sunday – The Brooklyn Eagle, on Apr. 11, 1887 page 4, ran a notice of the Apr. 10 passing of John T. Raymond. See also the N.Y. Times, Apr. 11, p.1 “COLONEL SELLERS IS DEAD”.
“There’s Millions in It”
April 9 Saturday – Charles J. Langdon wrote to Sam enclosing a draft for $2,448.56 from Livy’s account; he added that Sam’s telegram (not extant) about Susy being better was very welcome [MTP].
D.J. Tapley (per Whitmore to Tapley Apr. 18 enclosed) wrote to Sam asking the price of the Kaolatype patent. Whitmore answered $3,000 [MTP].
April 8 Friday – Sam spoke at the Union Veterans Association of Maryland Banquet, Hotel Rennert, Baltimore, Maryland – “An Author’s Soldiering” Published in Mark Twain Speaking, p.219-21. Fatout’s introduction (italics are his):
April 7 Thursday – In Hartford Sam replied to Grace W. Trout’s Apr. 7 inquiry about her sister lecturing without experience.
April 5 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam responded to the Apr. 4 letter from Richard Malcom Johnston (1822-1898), Georgia educator, lawyer and author of Dukesborough Tales (1883). Johnston was a “dialect humorist.” Sam would include a story from Dukesborough Tales, “The Expensive Treat of Colonel Mosels Grice” in Mark Twain’s Library of Humor (1888).
April 4 Monday – Webster & Co., wrote to Sam about a proposed book on Mexico written by a lady (unnamed) who “has spent a great many years there and lived among the people. Whitmore to Webster & Co. Apr. 4 enclosed, conveyed Sam’s opinion that if they could get the book for a very low royalty, 2&1/2 to 3% they may close the contract [MTP].
April 2 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote to his sister, Pamela Moffett, now in San Francisco, awaiting the wedding of her son, Samuel Moffett on Apr. 13 to Mary Emily Mantz. Clemens informed her about the letter from “Mrs. Boardman, was Jenny Stevens, daughter of the old jeweler of Hannibal, & sister of Ed, John & Dick.” He’d answered Jenny’s first letter but didn’t care to answer her second, as he couldn’t “afford a correspondence…”
April 1 Friday – A new contract between Charles Webster, Samuel L. Clemens and Frederick J. Hall was dated April 1, 1887. It called for the following: Sam would keep $75,000 in the firm; Webster’s salary would be increased to $3,800, an increase of $800; Hall was given the annual salary of $2,000 and also one-twentieth of the net profits, with Sam and Webster dividing the remaining profits, two-thirds and one-third [MTLTP 230n2].