“Do you know General Grant has actually determined to write his memoirs and publish them.  He has said so to-day, in so many words.”

Of course Clemens was immediately interested.  It was the thing he had proposed to Grant some three years previously, during his call that day with Howells concerning the Toronto consulship.

With Mrs. Clemens, he promptly overtook Gilder and accompanied him to his house, where they discussed the matter in its various particulars.  Gilder said that the Century Editors had endeavored to get Grant to contribute to their war series, but that not until his financial disaster, as a member of the firm of Grant & Ward, had he been willing to consider the matter.  He said that Grant now welcomed the idea of contributing three papers to the series, and that the promised payment of five hundred dollars each for these articles had gladdened his heart and relieved him of immediate anxiety.—­[Somewhat later the Century Company, voluntarily, added liberally to this sum.]

Gilder added that General Grant seemed now determined to continue his work until he had completed a book, though this at present was only a prospect.

Clemens was in the habit of calling on Grant, now and then, to smoke a cigar with him, and he dropped in next morning to find out just how far the book idea had developed, and what were the plans of publication.  He found the General and his son, Colonel Fred Grant, discussing some memoranda, which turned out to be a proposition from the Century Company for the book publication of his memoirs.  Clemens asked to be allowed to look over the proposed terms, and when he had done so he said: 

“General, it is clear that the Century people do not realize the importance—­the commercial magnitude of your book.  It is not strange that this is true, for they are comparatively new publishers and have had little or no experience with books of this class.  The terms they propose indicate that they expect to sell five, possibly ten thousand copies.  A book from your hand, telling the story of your life and battles, should sell not less than a quarter of a million, perhaps twice that sum.  It should be sold only by subscription, and you are entitled to double the royalty here proposed.  I do not believe it is to your interest to conclude this contract without careful thought and investigation.  Write to the American Publishing Company at Hartford and see what they will do for you.”

But Grant demurred.  He said that, while no arrangements had been made with the Century Company, he thought it only fair and right that they should have the book on reasonable terms; certainly on terms no greater than he could obtain elsewhere.  He said that, all things being equal, the book ought to go to the man who had first suggested it to him.

Clemens spoke up:  “General, if that is so, it belongs to me.”

Grant did not understand until Clemens recalled to him how he had urged him, in that former time, to write his memoirs; had pleaded with him, agreeing to superintend the book’s publication.  Then he said: