The "skeleton novelette" mentioned in the next letter refers to a plan concocted by Howells and Clemens, by which each of twelve authors was to write a story, using the same plot, "blindfolded" as to what the others had written.It was a regular "Mark Twain"notion, and it is hard to-day to imagine Howells's continued enthusiasm in it.Neither he nor Clemens gave up the idea for a long time.It appears in their letters again and again, though perhaps it was just as well for literature that it was never carried out.
To W.D.Howells, in Boston:
Apl.22, 1876.
MY DEAR HOWELLS, You'll see per enclosed slip that I appear for the first time on the stage next Wednesday.You and Mrs.H.come down and you shall skip in free.
I wrote my skeleton novelette yesterday and today.It will make a little under 12 pages.
Please tell Aldrich I've got a photographer engaged, and tri-weekly issue is about to begin.Show him the canvassing specimens and beseech him to subscribe.
Ever yours, S.L.C.
In his next letter Mark Twain explains why Tom Sawyer is not to appear as soon as planned.The reference to "The Literary Nightmare" refers to the "Punch, Conductor, Punch with Care" sketch, which had recently appeared in the Atlantic.Many other versifiers had had their turn at horse-car poetry, and now a publisher was anxious to collect it in a book, provided he could use the Atlantic sketch.Clemens does not tell us here the nature of Carlton's insult, forgiveness of which he was not yet qualified to grant, but there are at least two stories about it, or two halves of the same incident, as related afterward by Clemens and Canton.Clemens said that when he took the Jumping Frog book to Carlton, in 1867, the latter, pointing to his stock, said, rather scornfully: "Books?
I don't want your book; my shelves are full of books now," though the reader may remember that it was Carlton himself who had given the frog story to the Saturday Press and had seen it become famous.
Carlton's half of the story was that he did not accept Mark Twain's book because the author looked so disreputable.Long afterward, when the two men met in Europe, the publisher said to the now rich and famous author: "Mr.Clemens, my one claim on immortality is that I declined your first book."To W.D.Howells, in Boston:
HARTFORD, Apl.25, 1876
MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Thanks for giving me the place of honor.
Bliss made a failure in the matter of getting Tom Sawyer ready on time--the engravers assisting, as usual.I went down to see how much of a delay there was going to be, and found that the man had not even put a canvasser on, or issued an advertisement yet--in fact, that the electrotypes would not all be done for a month! But of course the main fact was that no canvassing had been done--because a subscription harvest is before publication, (not after, when people have discovered how bad one's book is.)Well, yesterday I put in the Courant an editorial paragraph stating that Tam Sawyer is "ready to issue, but publication is put off in order to secure English copyright by simultaneous publication there and here.The English edition is unavoidably delayed."You see, part of that is true.Very well.When I observed that my "Sketches" had dropped from a sale of 6 or 7000 a month down to 1200 a month, I said "this ain't no time to be publishing books; therefore, let Tom lie still till Autumn, Mr.Bliss, and make a holiday book of him to beguile the young people withal."I shall print items occasionally, still further delaying Tom, till I ease him down to Autumn without shock to the waiting world.
As to that "Literary Nightmare" proposition.I'm obliged to withhold consent, for what seems a good reason--to wit: A single page of horse-car poetry is all that the average reader can stand, without nausea; now, to stack together all of it that has been written, and then add it to my article would be to enrage and disgust each and every reader and win the deathless enmity of the lot.
Even if that reason were insufficient, there would still be a sufficient reason left, in the fact that Mr.Carlton seems to be the publisher of the magazine in which it is proposed to publish this horse-car matter.
Carlton insulted me in Feb.1867, and so when the day arrives that sees me doing him a civility I shall feel that I am ready for Paradise, since my list of possible and impossible forgivenesses will then be complete.
Mrs.Clemens says my version of the blindfold novelette "A Murder and AMarriage" is "good." Pretty strong language--for her.
The Fieldses are coming down to the play tomorrow, and they promise to get you and Mrs.Howells to come too, but I hope you'll do nothing of the kind if it will inconvenience you, for I'm not going to play either strikingly bad enough or well enough to make the journey pay you.
My wife and I think of going to Boston May 7th to see Anna Dickinson's debut on the 8th.If I find we can go, I'll try to get a stage box and then you and Mrs.Howells must come to Parker's and go with us to the crucifixion.
(Is that spelt right?--somehow it doesn't look right.)With our very kindest regards to the whole family.
Yrs ever, MARK.
The mention of Anna Dickinson, at the end of this letter, recalls a prominent reformer and lecturer of the Civil War period.She had begun her crusades against temperance and slavery in 1857, when she was but fifteen years old, when her success as a speaker had been immediate and extraordinary.Now, in this later period, at the age of thirty-four, she aspired to the stage--unfortunately for her, as her gifts lay elsewhere.Clemens and Howells knew Miss Dickinson, and were anxious for the success which they hardly dared hope for.
Clemens arranged a box party.
To W.D.Howells, in Boston:
May 4, '76.
MY DEAR HOWELLS,--I shall reach Boston on Monday the 8th, either at 4:30 p.m.or 6 p.m.(Which is best?) and go straight to Parker's.
