Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-30
MARK TWAIN IN A DILEMMA.
A Victim OF a Joke He Thinks the I'M
kindest Cut of All.

k1n0es6 Gut OF All.
"Huckleberry Finn" Mark Twain's
new book, was completed last March. says
a Hartford letter, but owing to cOmplica-
lions and differences with his publishers,
it has not yet appeared, although it has
been extensively announced, a prospec-
tus of the story sent out, and the opening
chapters recently published in the Cen
tury. When the book was finished last
month Mark Twain made a proposition in
regard to its publication to the American
Publishing Company, of this city, which
published his ~"InnOcents Abroad' and
his later works. From them the company,
which heretofore had been but a small
concern, achieved a reputation and stand
ing equal to any of the older established
publishing houses of the country,
Mark Twain, on his side, obtained
royalties amounting in all to over
100000. When "Huckleberry Finn"
the sequel to atom Sawyer"
was completed, Twain again made
a proposition to his publishers to produce
this new work. Negotiations were COM
menced, but never completed. The par
ties could not agree to terms. Evidently
Mark Twain considered that he had built
up the American Publishing Company,
while they seemed to think themselves
the founders of his fame and fortune. Lib
eral royalties were offered Twain by the
publishing company, but he refused to &C
cept them. The final offer was that the
profits should be divided, each of the par
ties to receive 30 per cent. of the proceeds
from the sale of the new work. This
proposition was not satisfactory to the
author, who wanted 60 per cent. of the
profits. This offer the company refused
to accept, and he determined on entering
a nau that nf tho
publisherswith that of author.
Mark Twain a a nephew residing in
New York in whose business ability he
had great confidence. This man, whose
name is Charles l.. Webster, is engaged
in the book publishing business at No. SIS
Broadway. He entered into a partner
ship with his nephew to produce his new
work and supervise all the mechanical
details Of its production. The cOp was
all sent to him and by him given to the
printers. In order to properly embellIsh
the book the services of a leading metro
pOlitan engraver were secured, and from
this comes all the trouble into which
HartfOrd's popular author is now plunged.
The engraYlngs, after having been cut on
the plates, were sent to the electrOtyper.
One of the plates represented a man with
a dOWncast head, standing in the fore
ground of a particularly striking illustra-
tiOn. In front of himIxas a raggedurchin
with a look Of dismay -Overspreading his
cOuntenance. In the background, and
standing behind the boy, was an attrac-
tive looking young girl, whose face was
enlivened by a broad grin. Something
which the boy or man had said or done
evidently amused her highly. The title of
tie cut was, "In a Dilemma; What Shall
l DO:"
When the plate was sent to the electro
typer a wicked spirit must have possessed
him Ihn r1fNn mo CnrrranFfrA 80
stroke of the awl would suffice to give to
the cut an indecent character never in
tended by the author or engraver. 1t
would make no difference in the surface
OF the plate that would be visible to the
naked eye, but when printed would add to
the engraving a characteristic which
would be repudiated not only by the au-
thor. but by all the respectable people OF
the country into whose hands the volume
should fall. The work of the engrayer
was successful, 1t passed the eye of the
inspector and was approved. A proof
was taken and submitted. If the altera-
ton of the plate was manifested in the
proof it was evidently attributed to a de-
feet in the press and paper, which would
be remedied when the volume was sent to
the press. Now the work was ready Tor
printing.
In issuing books to be sold by ''sub-
scriptiOn only" the publishers first strike
c@ a large humber or pfospeCruses, which
are to be used by the agents when Solicit
ing subscribers to the work. Some 5000
of these prospectuses, with the defective
cut, were presented and distributed to the
different agents throughout the country.
The entire work had passed the eyes of
the various readers and inspectors and
the glazing indecency Of the cut had not
been discovered. Throughout the country
were hundreds Of agents displaying the
merits of the work and celebrating on the
artistic work of the engravings. 1t was
remarkable that while the defect was so
palpable, none of the agents noticed it, or
if he did, he failed TO report it to the
publishers. Possibly they might have
considered the alteration intentional, as
the title to the Illustration was now
dOubly suggestive.
At last ear a letter from the Chicago
agent calling attention to the cut. Then
there was CONSERVATION in the office of
the publishers. Copies of the prospectus
were hauled from the shelf and critically
examined. Then for the first tine it
dawned on the publishers that such an
illustration would condemn the work.
graphed to and the prOspectuses were
called in. The page containing the cut
was torn from the book, a new and per-
fectillustration being substituted. Agents
were supplied with the improved volumes,
and are now happy in ~canvassing for a
work to which there ear be no objection,
while they smile at the prospects of heavy
commissions But the story leaked out.
Several opposition publishers got hold of
copies of the cut, however, and these now
adOrn their respective offices,