September 8 Thursday – In Elmira Sam wrote an answer to Alfred P. Burbank that was labeled “UNMAILED ANSWER.” On Sept. 11 Burbank referred to a telegram received on Sept. 9. Sam wrote a few unmailed answers that reflected a particularly prickly mood. For the other see next letter this date.
Alas & alas & alas, have I gone & harnessed-up with another man who doesn’t know anything about business? [MTP].
September 8 Saturday – Sam’s notebook records progress in operating the Paige Typesetter for Fred Whitmore, son of Franklin G. Whitmore: “he set 11,200 in 1 hour” (see Apr. 9, 1888 entry).
September 8 Monday – Sam traveled to Hartford in order to sign the contract with John P. Jones. He wrote Joe Goodman.
Dear Joe: I am here 24 hours to sign the written contract — which has been done. From it has been weeded out everything suggested by Jones. Apparently he wants Paige to retain the ¼ gross proceeds, & all other shares just as they stand — has his reasons for wanting these things so.
Jones doesn’t need to sign the added paper unless he wants to — & not until he gets ready, anyway. The papers go to him to-day.
September 9 Tuesday – In Boston, Howells wrote answering Clemens’ “sleepeth?” note:
Sleepeth is the matter—the sleep of a torpid conscience. I will feign that I didn’t know where to write you; but I love you and all yours, and I am tremendously glad that you are at home again. When and where shall we meet? I want to see you and talk with you. Have you come home with your pockets full of Atlanticable papers? How about the two books? [MTHL 1: 268].
September 9 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster. He’d just received a telegram from the printers—Prince and the Pauper would be finished on Monday, Sept. 12. Sam asked Webster to take the engravings (for the cover) himself to Boston, call on Osgood and take him to “that fancy foundry…in that portion of Boston called Chelsea.” Osgood was to take charge of the casting and finishing so that Charley could return home to New York.
September 9 Saturday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster.
I want you to be General Agent for my New Book [LM] for the large district of which New York is the center. I can make it pay us both. Go to studying up the methods & mysteries of General Agency right away—no great deal of time left. We will see if we can’t improve on the Prince & Pauper’s luck there. All well & send love, to you both [MTBus 195-6].
September 9 Sunday – Sam wrote a one-liner from Elmira to Charles Webster: “Will see you at hotel Brunswick 9 or ½ past, a.m.., Wednesday. SLC” [MTP]. Note: Evidently things were delayed a day.
September 9 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster, sending what he thought looked like a bill for “more hellfired statuary.” Gerhardt had “just gone to Philadelphia. I wish it was in hell. / If this is a bill, step in there & pay it. It looks like a bill” [MTP]. Gerhardt had made the trip to cast the bust in bronze (Sept. 16 to Twichell).
September 9 Wednesday – Sam entered in his notebook Bissell’s acknowledgement of Chatto’s notes [MTNJ 3: 188].
Webster & Co. per Frederick J. Hall wrote: “Your favor enclosing statement from Chatto & Windus is received; we have placed it in the safe.” More sales numbers on the Grant books, this time from Indiana and Illinois [MTP].
September 9 Thursday – Life Magazine, which began as a humor periodical, ran a center spread cartoon captioned “Literature at Low Tide,” characterizing several American authors as carnival barkers. In the foreground, dispensing laughing gas through a hose, Mark Twain takes a coin from Buster Brown who takes in the gas.
September 9 Friday – Franklin G. Whitmore wrote to Sam in Elmira about completing certain domestic tasks, probably discussed on his Sept. 5 trip to Hartford.
September 9 Sunday – Franklin G. Whitmore wrote to Sam that his letter had arrived too late to prevent the sale of more Burr Index Co. stock. “The machine is coming to a close” [MTP].
September 9 Tuesday – Sam returned to Onteora [Sept. 8 to Jones].