June 27 Tuesday – Sam wrote two short notes from Elmira to Orion. Sam had written a new lecture that day and wanted Bliss to leave out the talk about the “Suffrage to Boys”.  His second note announced he “wrote a third lecture to-day—& tomorrow I go back on the book again.” This last lecture, “Reminiscences of Some Pleasant Characters whom I have Met” was one given later. “It covers my whole acquaintances—kings, humorists, lunatics, idiots & all.”

Sam also wrote two notes to James Redpath about his new lectures and his indecision as to which to use. If Redpath wanted to include a picture of Sam, use the one that the Aldine had used “2 or 3 months ago that was right good” [MTL 4: 413-15].

Sam also informed Whitelaw Reid of the three lectures [MTL 4: 417].

Sam and Livy wrote to Mary Mason Fairbanks, explaining why they hadn’t been able to make the promised trip to Cleveland. Sam:

“This book has been dragging along just 12 months, now, & I am so sick & tired of it” [MTL 4: 418-9]. Note: Evidently the break from his daily discipline of 20-60 pages of manuscript deflated Sam’s inspiration.