To Francis E. Bliss
30 May 1881 • Hartford, Conn. (Transcript by Dana S. Ayer: WU-MU, UCCL 01960)
30 May 1881 • Hartford, Conn. (Transcript by Dana S. Ayer: WU-MU, UCCL 01960)
Hartford May 30/81
Dear Frank—
The 1st of July I shall expect to be paid half the profits accruing upon Tramp Abroad up to that time. I don’t know whether that is the letter of the contract or not, but it is the spirit of it. It having now been demonstrated that 10 per cent represents less than half the profits, there can be no reasonable use in the company’s retaining a part of my money 9 months in order to demonstrate it again. I think you will see this as I do.
Ys Truly
S. L. Clemens
Transcript, handwritten by Dana S. Ayer during the late 1890s or later, in the Rare Book Department, Memorial Union Library, WU-MU. A second transcript, prepared by Albert Bigelow Paine (CU-MARK), contains no variant readings except for a period after “30/81”—which has been rejected, since Clemens demonstrably wrote the date either way.
MTLP, 138.
See Brownell Collection in Description of Provenanceclick to open letter. The Ayer transcription was copied by a typist, and this typed transcription is also at WU-MU.