Vol 3 Section 0912

Yours of the 25th received this forenoon—marked “missent.” I wonder where in hell it went to. I reckon the P. O. D. is not merely corrupt, but drunk. So the war is on, at last! I am up and about my room, but can’t venture outside yet a while. As soon as I can I’ll go and talk with Mr. Rogers. I can’t write him about business, he isn’t well enough for that. You will hear from me as soon as I have seen him.

You will find he’s all right [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Emilie R. Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers).

Thank you for your kind letter. I’m up & about my room to-day, at last, & I am hoping to be allowed to resume life on the old terms in a day or two. Doctor & osteopath have failed with me, but I am curing myself by a scheme of my own invention. Maybe it won’t succeed, but I know one thing, for sure: it will either cure me or kill me.

To-day I’m in awful need of business-advice, & neither of my Captains of Industry is get-at-able—Mr.

Rogers & Mrs. Clemens. But I had to act, & I’ve acted. I thought it all out, first, & did what I thought Mr.

Rogers would admire.

I’m coming down as soon as permitted. To be admired.

Mrs. Clemens continues to do better & better, I think.

And with her love & mine [MTHHR 525].

Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore. “Good. If Witherbee will repeat the offer which you have detailed in your letter, take him up.” Sam considered the Tarrytown house sold since it had been rented until November with an option to purchase for $7,000 more than he paid, and another man waited to take up the same option. “You see I am not in any financial discomfort,” he wrote [MTP]. Note: Sidney Witherbee was once again interested in the Hartford house.

Sam also replied to William Winter (incoming not extant) in New Brighton, N.Y., giving a succinct summary of his and Livy’s health, and meaning to attend some unspecified event if he could [MTP].

The American Publishing Co. filed two copies of My Debut As a Literary Person with Other Essays and Stories with the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. [M. Johnson 90-91].

April 29 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to William Dean Howells.

B’gosh, I suppose it is some more mental telegraphy. The Weekly is just received, & I note your suggestion that Putnam Place & Wasson’s book be read together. Five days ago I wrote Bliss Perry a note praising Wasson’s book & Miss McLean’s “Flood Tide,” & said they ought to be read together, chapter-about; that Wasson’s delightful worldly people & Miss McL’s delightful unworldly people belonged together & should mix together on the same stage.

Putnam Place did not much interest me: so I knew it was high literature. I have never been able to get up

high enough to be at home with high literature. But I immensely like your literature, Howells [MTHL 2: 768-9

      notes]. Note: Howells reviewed Captain Simeon’s Store by G.S. Wasson; Putnam Place by G.L. Collins with another book under the heading “A Triad of Admirable Books,” Harper’s Weekly for May 2. Perry Bliss at this time was editor of Atlantic Monthly. Sarah Pratt McLean’s Flood-tide (1901).

Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore. Only the envelope survives [MTP].

Sam’s notebook: “Mr. Robert J. Collier, of Collier’s Weekly was anxious to have the handling of one set of my books—a cheap set—& offered to guarantee me $40,000 a year for 2 years, and Scribner wanted a $50 set to handle & offered a royalty of $7.50 a set” [NB 46 TS 15].

Frank Bliss wrote to Sam.

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.