echnicalities confuse me horribly.)

The firm owes other sums, but there is stock and cash assets to cover
the entire indebtedness and $116,679.20 over. Is that it? In addition
we have the L. A. L. plates and copyright, worth more than $130,000--is
that correct?

That is to say, we have property worth about $250,000 above
indebtedness, I suppose--or, by one of your estimates, $300,000? The
greater part of the first debts to me is in notes paying 6 percent. The
rest (the old $70,000 or whatever it is) pays no interest.

Now then, will Harper or Appleton, or Putnam give me $200,000 for those
debts and my two-thirds interest in the firm? (The firm of course taking
the Mount Morris and all such obligations off my hands and leaving me
clear of all responsibility.)

I don't want much money. I only want first class notes--$200,000
worth of them at 6 per cent, payable monthly;--yearly notes, renewable
annually for 3 years, with $5,000 of the principal payable at the
beginning and middle of each year. After that, the notes renewable
annually and (perhaps) a larger part of the principal payable
semi-annually.

Please advise me and suggest alterations and emendations of the above
scheme, for I need that sort of help, being ignorant of business and not
able to learn a single detail of it.

Such a deal would make it easy for a big firm to pour in a big cash
capital and jump L. A. L. up to enormous prosperity. Then your one-third
would be a fortune--and I hope to see that day!

I enclose an authority to use with Whitmore in case you have sold any
royalties. But if you can't make this deal don't make any. Wait a little
and see if you can't make the deal. Do make the deal if you possibly
can. And if any presence shall be necessary in order to complete it I
will come over, though I hope it can be done without that.

Get me out of business!

And I will be yours forever gratefully,

S. L. CLEMENS.

My idea is, that I am offering my 2/3 of L. A. L. and the business for
thirty or forty thousand dollars. Is that it?

P. S. S. The new firm could retain my books and reduce them to a 10
percent royalty.

S. L. C.

*****

To Rev. Jos. H. Twichell, in Hartford:

VILLA VIVIANI, SETTIGNANO (FLORENCE)

June 9, '93.

DEAR JOE,--The sea voyage set me up and I reached here M