1 Bliss’s reply does not survive, but he must have agreed to Clemens’s proposal. No telegram informing Howells has been found. Clemens may have realized that none was necessary since the April Atlantic Monthly had already issued and Howells was only now writing his review (see 13 Mar 76 to Howells, n. 4) . As late as 9 April Clemens believed that Tom Sawyer would issue by the middle of May. By 16 April, however, he had decided to postpone publication until autumn, creating an embarrassment for Howells, whose review was just then appearing in the Atlantic Monthly for May. Clemens apologized to Howells in a letter of 26 April. The American Publishing Company edition of Tom Sawyer did not finally issue until 8 December 1876 (3 Apr 76 to Howells; 9 Apr 76 to Conway; 16 Apr 76 to Conway; Howells 1876; TS 1980, 22–25).