After traveling all night to Davenport, Iowa, [from Rockford] the pair “made a great triumph” at the local opera house the next evening, Sam felt “old & seedy & wretched” before the show, but instead of bathing he “drank a big cup of black coffee & went on the stage as fine as a fiddle.” [Page 444 The Life of Mark Twain - The Middle Years 1871-1891]
From Davenport, Iowa, Sam wrote of his recent travels to Livy: “...struck a sleeping-car train at 12.30 [A.M.], but did not go to bed, as we had to change cars at 2. 40. Did it, slept till 6, when we reached Rock Island; then Cable & I walked up through the town & over toward this place, when a sleigh overtook & we rode” [MTP].
“Before leaving Davenport he [Twain] had a disagreement with Cable, who was unwilling to start for Chicago until Monday morning, as otherwise he would have been compelled to travel on the Sabbath. Twain boiled over and continued to boil for most of the rest of the tour. He complained to J.B.Pond and possibly at this time, wrote him a note in which he damned Cable as 'a Christ-besprinkled psalm-singing Presbyterian.'” (pg 55 Cardwell)
According to Sam’s Feb. 5 to Livy: It was announced that unless we left (Davenport) that night at 11, we could not meet our Chicago engagement Monday evening [Feb. 2]. Cable calmly said “I cannot travel on Sunday.” I was furious. I said “You will travel on Sunday, just the same,—this time.” He said, “It is in my contract that I am not to travel on Sunday, & I shall not do it.” I said, Damn your contract. This is the accident of a change of RR service since the appointment was made; & your contract cannot cover accidents, & has got to yield. I am not going to be made a plaything of in order to humor the corpse of a superstition of the Middle Ages” [MTP]
Sam wrote Livy Feb. 5 explaining how the impass was resolved: Better information settled the fact that he could start Monday morning at 8 & have abundance of time. If he had missed that engagement, I was going to deliver a lecture about him to the Chicago audience....I do not believe that any vileness, any shame, any dishonor is too base for Cable to do, provided by doing it he can save his despicable Sabbath from abrasion [MTP]
Under the management again of James B. Pond
A likely route between Rockford and Davenport would be a freight train from Rockford to Freeport on the Chicago and Northwestern; the Chicago, Milwaukee and St Paul to Savanna; changing cars; then the CM&SP to Silvis or East Molina and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific to Rock Island and Davenport.