The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-13

Triangular Difficulty Ia Which the Cen
fury Company aud mark Twain Figure.
fNau

Triangular Difficulty Ia Which the Cen
fury Company aud mark Twain Figure.
New York Special
General Grant is exerting himself to get
his var "reminiscences written out BET re
deeib stops bis pen. He has had more eas-
iTC N pain during the week than was sntici-
patec, and has been abe TO work several
hours each CAV. In order 10 hasten the COM
posiuon en- amsnueDsis was employed "a
woman who could use typewriter rs rapid
lg as be would be likely to dictate; but his
c"rst tu;loDal lack OF huency vas
aggravated by the unususl process, aud
~es sOOn found. also, that the uss OF hts
voice, even in whisper, brought ou iGd4uI-
nation aud swelling in bis diseased that
Ine core be returned TO pen and ink. He
writes slowly. his average rate being only
about 300 words an hour and thai is lowered
by frequent meditation. He has never prac-
ticed al competition for publication. and il
comes Skwsrd. The first volume OF the pro-
pOst work hs been edited thoroughly by
Al expert, whose duty, however, was limited
10 verbal ard grammatical revision. lie
was warned not 10 alter the meanings, ex-
cept on consultation. The second volume is
about half done, but Grant has made CO.
pioUs notes for the remainder so that they
could be written out after his death, IL
necessary.
Grant and Boswell Smith, the manager Of
the Century Company. 1t was all but con-
cluded that the autobiography should be
published by that concern. The General
was paid 81, eco for his war srt'c'e in the
February number of the Century, and it
was decided that further passages from his
forthcoming book should be first pubnshed
in the magazine. Arrangements for the
making OF the pictures and printing OF the
volumes wore made, and terms were nearly
settled, on the basis OF royalty.
MARK TwAIE's OFFER.
The negotiations did not result in a con-
trect, however, and Tor the IauGoe Mark
Twain is understood to be responsible. Mark
hes not been reckless humorist "a 70
share the profits OF his FIN with anybody.
He has mastered the subscription book bust
ness. He is his own publisher and whole.
saler, being the principal though unmen-
toned partner in the firm of Charles L.
Webster & Co., the Webster being relative
who marshals and directs the soliciting
agents with which the whole country is
made to swarm. Grant received an offer
from Mark, through Webster, 10 take his son
Jesse into the enterprise Of publishing and
circulating the "reminiscences. The fscs vss
shown to him that the mechanical cost of
producing each 81 volume would not exceed
thirty cents. provided large editions
we're sold, and that a clesr profit treble the
10Y atty offered by smith could be realized.
| as this scheme promised to yield consider
able fortune for his family and make bust.
/ ness for son, Grant went into it.
There was no completed bargain to break,
as between Us and the General, said Smith,
| today, but we supposed il to be settled thai
the Century imprint would go on the title
psge OF the book. He came TO our Office
/ almost daily to consult about the matter,
| and nur advice as to the material and N AXE
| up Of the book was generally sought and
followed. Understand though, we have no
/ grievance, He had right TO 60 elsewhere,
snd his object WAS principally TO create
place for one Of his sons-a thing which We
were hardly prepared to do
There Is a great deal more bitterness than
Smith intimates and il is certain that no
] more papers by Grant will appear IN the
! Century. Some say that Mark Twain has
! incidentally closed the cages of the maya
zipe 10 any further transcripts from his
I forthcoming books. which will be loss of
! advertising. he IS III tcwn to help Webster
in the new project The terms OF the part
nership between them and the Grants ara
not divuged further than that Marx adj
vsncss The considerable capital required to
put the book on the market.
HOW GENERAL GRANT WRITES.
uTne General would not be recognized By
anybody guided only by his familiar por-
uaits, as he sits writing his book" said q
| PRIVILEGED caller upon him. THE suggestion
of robust vigor is gene, and he has the limp
whiteness of suffering invalid. More than
that, his face is greatly altered. His
hair and whiskers have been al.
lowed to grow much longer than
he customarilY wears them, owing to his
dislike to be disturbed by barber. He has
no teeth, the removal OF the few that he had
rendering the false ones impracticable. Thus
his entire ASPECT is changed. He writes On
o small stand which is drawn to his eide as
he sits in big, easy chair. Several bulky
scTaptooks contaiDg his collecticno of printed
and anuscIipt materials, lie on q table
within reach. He refers to them FREQ uentIy.
for he is anxious to be exact in his state
ments Of fact. His wife or one his sons lie
constantly with him. In walking to and
fro, which be sometimes does when making
no his mind about paragraph as well as
during some of the attscks Of pain, be has
10 use q cane. in cOnsaq of the lame.