St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-09
GRANTS NEW BOOK.
Mark Twain VIII Publish 1.-THE General at
His Work.

Special to the Globe.
New YORK, March 9.--Gen. Grant is ex-
erting himself to get his war "reminiscences
written out before death stops his pen. He
has had more ease from pain during the
week than was anticipated, and has been
able to work several hours every day. IL
order to hasten the composition an amanu-
ensis was employed who could use type
writer as rapidly as he would be likely to die
tate, but his constitutional lack of fuency
was aggravated by the unusual process, and it
was found also that the use of his voice,
even in whisper, brought on Inflammation
and swelling in his diseased throat. There
fore he returned to pen and ink. He writes
slowly, his average rate being only about 500
words an hour, and that is lowered by fire.
quent meditation. He has never practiced
at composition for publication, and it comes
awkward. The first volume of the proposed
work has been edited thoroughly by an ex-
pert, whose duty, however. was limited to
verbal and grammatical revision. The second
volume is about half done, but Grant has
made copious notes for the remainder. So
they could be written after his death, if nee
essary.
There has been a falling out between
Grant and Roswell Smith, the manager of
the Century company. 1t was all but con-
cluded that the autobiography should be pub
lished by that concern. The general was
paid 81 900 for his war article in the Febru-
AIRY number of the Centuary, and it was de-
hat h h
coming book should be first published in the
magazine. Arrangements for the making
of the pictures and printing of tine volumes
were made and the terms were nearly set
tied on the basis of a royalty. The negotia-
tions did not result in a contract, how
ever, and for the failure Mark Twain
is understood to be responsible. Mark
has not been so reckless humorist as to
share the profits of his fun with anybody.
He has mastered the subscription book busi-
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
agents with which the whole country is made
to swarm. Grant received an offer from
Mark, through Webster, to take his son Jesse
into the enterprise of publishing and circu-
lating the "reminiscences. The fact was shown
to him that the mechanical cost of produc-
ing each of the two volumes
would not exceed 80 cents,
provided large editions were sold, and that
clear profit of treble the royalty offered by
Smith could be realized AS this scheme
promised to yield a considerable fortune for
his family, and make business for his son,
Grant went into it.
''There was no completed bargain to break
as between us and the general" said Smith,
but we supposed it to be settled that an i'm
print would go on the title page of the book.
He came to our Office almost daily to consult
about the matter, and our advice as to the
material and makeup of the work was gen.
orally sought and followed Understand,
though, that we have no grievances. He had
the right to go elsewhere, and his object was
principally to create place for one of his
soDe, q thing which we were hardly prepared
to do''
There is a great deal more bitterness than
Smith intimates, and it is certain that no
more papers by Grant will appear in the
Century. Some say that Mark Twain has
incidently closed the pages of the magizine
TO any further transcripts from his forthcom-
ing books, which will be loss Of advertis-
ing. He is in town to help Webster in the
new project. The terms of the partnerrhip
between them and the Grants are not di-
vulged further than that Mark advances con-
siderable capital required to put the books on
the market