September 4 Tuesday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to daughter Clara in Norfolk, Conn.

I am so glad you like the pictures, dear Ashcat, & will keep them. I like them ever so much. Mr. Paine made 7 negatives in the hope of getting one satisfactory one; & when the samples came back from the developer they were all good. It seemed to me that a progressive thought was traceable thro thru them, & after arranging the series in varying order several times I discovered what it was.

I have posted the series into my Autobiography, with explanations—this for the remote future generations.

I hope the concert will be a grand success in all ways, barring none. That it will be, I have not a doubt, for by your faithful hard work in the face of persistent difficulties you have qualified yourself to do the requisite, so far as your share of the enterprise is concerned, & I hope & believe the church & the town will do the rest. I’ll drink a barrel to you, dear!

 [cross-written in the right margin:] Thank you for the hug, & I send you a duplicate. Marcus [MTP]. Note: Sam here began to use “through” then changed it to “thru,” as it was one of the twelve words Carnegie’s Simplified Spelling convention had urged. They would have loved texting.

Clemens’ A.D. of this day included: The supremacy of the house fly [MTP Autodict2].