Vol 3 Section 0913
Yours of the 28th is received, also telegram which we are glad to see. We have already, since the suit was inaugurated, been to a great deal of work and trouble clearing our decks and are in pretty good fighting trim now. However, we shall pay no further attention to the interruption until something new develops. I suppose the Harpers will withdraw their suit before the time for trial arrives [MTP].
John T. McCutcheon wrote to Sam from Chicago. Since he’d seen that Sam had recently taken up the work of illustrating, he sent a book of cartoons, “in the hope that it may pay off part of my great indebtedness” [MTP]. Sam wrote on the env. “Make no answer.”
Hilary Trent (pseud. of R.M. Manley) wrote to Sam, thanking him for his comments on her book, Mr. Claghorn’s Daughter. She suggested it would help her to use his letter in form of facsimile for advertising, and asked his consent [MTP]. Note: Sam’s denial of her request is not extant. See Hilary’s May 4.
April 30 Thursday – In Riverdale, Isabel V. Lyon and Sam wrote to an unidentified person , enclosing an aphorism: “Work & Play are words used to describe the same thing under differing conditions” [MTP].
Sam’s notebook:
Collier & Scribner together would have earned $100,000 a year for me in the subscription trade, leaving to Harper the entire book-store & mail-order trade—but the old Harper contracts had full command of the situation—I was a Harper slave & couldn’t get free. I had to accept whatever terms the Harper corporation were willing to grant so they force the American Publishing Co out & took the whole thing, merely giving me a small 5-year guarantee (as above), & paying me 30 cents a word for magazine articles. If Collier were in their place the books would pay me $200,000 a year. However, after a 2-year tuition the Harpers will do well enough with them [NB 46 TS 15-16].
Dr. Wilson L. Hawkes wrote from York Harbor, Maine to Sam, after receiving his of the 19th.
After my explanation of my charges for professional services I do not see why you refer to any legal question—I never have, never shall take a bill into court—am willing to settle with any reasonable discount, but your deciding just how much I shall take is not only unkind but unjust—I will take for the 96 visits three ($3) dollars per visit as I charged all patients at York Harbor [MTP]. Note: in his Apr. 6, E.D. Twombly of York Harbor claimed the doctor’s normal rate was one dollar per visit.
James Careton Young of Minneapolis, Minn. sent a printed page about his travels to Europe, and his plans then to “form my library.” The page ended with a solicitation for books [MTP]. Note: see Dec. 3, 1904.
April, late or May early – Sam wrote a short essay, “Reflections on a Letter and a Book,” so titled later by Paine. The piece was a response to a letter and book sent him by Hilary Trent (aka R.M. Manley). Sam was often irritated by such requests to read literary works, and took this instance to wax ridicule on the selfishness of the human race [AMT 1: 181, 520n181.3].
May – The second and concluding section of Mark Twain’s “Instructions in Art” ran in Metropolitan Magazine [Camfield’s bibliog.].
Howard E. Wright, General Manager of the American Plasmon Co., left the company under charges of dishonesty and fraudulent issue of stock [Report of Cases Vol. 187 (1910): Ashcroft v. Hammond 491].
May 1 Friday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.