April 12 Wednesday – Roswell Phelps mailed Sam a contract for his employment, which Sam signed. Phelps was to receive $100 per month for “at least four weeks” work, all traveling and living expenses and for transcribing notes made on the trip by June 1, one dollar per thousand words. The contract is in the MTP [MTNJ 2: 517].
April 11 Tuesday – Office of the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army per H.M. Adams wrote to advise that “a copy of a map of the alluvial basin of the Mississippi River and 16 sheets of the new map …have been sent by today’s mail” [MTP].
April 10 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to reply to the Apr. 6 compliments from Rutherford B. Hayes, who had expressed a “happy reception” for P&P at his house. After explaining the receipt of his letter came just when their dinner friends were discussing the potential greatness of the Hayes administration (to Sam another example of “Mental Telegraphy”), and being “deeply gratified” by Hayes’ letter, Sam added after his signature:
April 9 Sunday – The Lotos Club, New York receipted Sam $6.25 for dues [MTP].
April 8 Saturday – Lucius Fairchild wrote from Boston to Sam, thanking him for the “pleasant talk” and mentioning the umbrella he gave Livy [Rees 9]. Sam probably received the note on Apr. 10 [MTP].
James R. Osgood wrote to Sam, offering a list of sketches that Howells advised cutting from the Library of Humor, which left 18 pieces at about 80,000 words [MTP].
April 7 Friday – Returning from a trip to Spain, Lucius Fairchild stopped to visit Sam on the way to see his brother Charles Fairchild. He left an umbrella at the Clemens home (see Apr. 8 entry) [Rees 9; MTNJ 2: 513n267].
April 6 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to the office of the Secretary of War, requesting a map of the Mississippi River. In Sam’s notebook: “Cut the map of the Mississippi into 20 pieces (full page size) & interleave it along through the book, beginning at St. Louis & going down section by section to N.O.” [MTNJ 2: 455].
Sam also wrote to William Thomas St. Clair letter not extant but referred to in St. Clair’s Apr. 10 reply.
April 5 Wednesday – James R. Osgood wrote proposing a royalty for LM [MTP].
Orion Clemens wrote to Sam about “trying to work into business naturally”, Orion to Rhodes & Mclure Apr. 5 enclosed. “My idea was to live in a village and do business in Chicago by aid of the railroads” [MTP].
April 4 Tuesday – Frank Fuller wrote about his plans for selling stocks [MTP].
George Hamlin wrote on Chicago Grand Opera House notepaper asking for an autograph [MTP]. Note: SASE in file not used.
Caroline B. Le Row wrote to thank Sam for his permission to use McWilliams sketches in her youth reader book [MTP].
April 3 Monday – Sam typed a note from Hartford to Charles Wood, at West Point. He enclosed “the original of” the 1601 manuscript as Wood had suggested, and explained there were a few archaic spellings that Wood should feel free to fix. According to Leon, Wood agreed to use West Point’s printing press to run off about 60 copies [228].