August 8 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Bliss. Sam had received a response from Bliss to his last letter and denied making propositions to Dustin, Gilman & Co. or any other publisher. Sam agreed to make The Adventures of Tom Sawyer a holiday book. Sam also wanted Howells’ Atlantic review to be put into the prospectus that went to editors. Sam enclosed an English notice of the Chatto & Windus publication [MTLE 1: 95-6].

In the evening, Sam started “a record of our children’s sayings,” and wrote Susie’s inability, with a certain pair of shoes on, to think of God [Aug. 9 to Howells]. Sam later titled these notes, “A Record of the Small Foolishnesses of Susie & ‘Bay’ Clemens (Infants)” and continued to log them through June 7, 1885. Note: Sam often wrote these cute sayings in his notebook as well.