May 12 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Howells, saying he’d “send along” the altered proof of No.7, the last of his Atlantic series, “Old Times on the Mississippi.” He complimented Howells’ review of the Gilded Age play and expressed some bitterness at Raymond, who’d written him asking for the rest of the season’s profits, a few week’s worth. Raymond then sent a telegram on this day and Sam answered he would lend Raymond money but not give him profits [MTL 6: 477-9].

“His letter would make a dog blush. But I guess there is some villainy under it somewhere” [MTL 6: 478].

That evening Sam took place in a spelling match and festival at Twichell’s Asylum Hill Church in Hartford. Sam and Joe were on opposing teams. Sam introduced the match with a speech about the “orthological solemnities” [Fatout, MT Speaking 94-6]. Sam and Livy furnished the first prize for the match: “Guizot’s exquisitely illustrated History of France, 900 wood engravings, 40 fine steel engravings, published by Estes & Lauriat, Boston, in 50 monthly parts,” The “London Art Journal, Appleton, American publisher, in monthly parts,” and “A Nosegay, daintily painted upon slate, on a finely polished surface, the invention and handiwork of a New England Lady” [Hartford Courant, May 13, 1875 p2; also in Andrews 50, and MTL 6: 659-63].

Here are the spelling teams listed:

Miss Blythe    Mr Twichell 
The Rev. Dr. Burton   Miss M. Bartlett 
Miss Keep   Robert Buell  
Mr. Clemens   Miss Stone 
Miss Trumbull   General Hawley 
Charles H. Clark   Miss Julia Burbank  
J S Tryon   JG Rathbun 
Miss Childs   Mr Bartlett  
Judge Carpenter   Charles E Perkins 
Miss Lucy Smith   Miss Hammond 
JS Ives   Mr. Baldwin 
Miss Crane   Miss Darrow  
Miss Abbot   W Roberts 
Abel Clark   Miss Carpenter 
SF Jones   Andrew Hammond 
W. I. Fletcher   Miss Howard 
J S Tryon Sen[ior]   JG Rathbun

Note: William I. Fletcher (b. 1844) listed as asst. librarian; John S. Ives dry-goods merchant; Abel S. Clark teacher; Samuel F. Jones, attorney (or Samuel F. Jones Jr., law student); Robert Buell, stock broker. Elisha Carpenter (1824-1897) State Supreme Court judge. Theodore Lyman and Miss Kate Burbank were referees.

Sam also wrote Edward T. Potter, architect, concerning house details; letter not extant but referred to in Potter’s of May 13.

John T. Raymond sent a telegram from Utica, N.Y. asking for a $1,500 loan until Oct. at one per cent a month, and that the money be sent to Elmira [MTP; MTL 6: 479].