ALS signed “S. L. Clemens,” one page both sides, 4.5 x 7, October 19, 1876. Twain writes to an unnamed gentleman. In full: “The book has come & I promise myself much pleasure in reading it. So I offer you my thanks in advance. I was going to see Mrs. Shoot & Miss Mollie [evidently Mollie Clemens, eventual wife of Clemens’ brother Orion] when I was last in N.Y. but the business I was in kept me clear up to train-time. Can’t write to Daly, I don’t know him well enough, but I have talked with him once & I shall sieze the first opportunity to do so again, meantime Mollie has a foothold & her chance will come. There are many aspirants who can’t get even the poor grace of a foothold & couldn’t keep it if they got it, poor fellows—but Miss Mollie will succeed, I think.” One of the central works of Clemens’ oeuvre, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, was first published (in England) in June 1876; it was first issued in America two months after the present letter, in December of the same year. In very good condition, with a few blots, a few tiny edge tears and wrinkles, and small splits along folds touching a few words. The writing is dark throughout. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
