October 9 Thursday – Sam had received Howells’ letter of Sept. 17, which called writing about Orion by “an alien hand” as heartless. Howells planned on traveling “northward and westward…either the first of October or the first of November” [MTHL 1: 270]. Sam responded that he’d intended to mark the religious squib “Private,” but forgot to. He then wrote a litany of Orion’s schemes and intentions he’d received in the past month.

Sam wanted to go to Chicago with Howells and John Hay to a reunion of the

…great Commanders of the Western army Corps on the 9th of next month. My sluggish soul needs a fierce upstirring, & if it would not get it when Grant enters the meeting place I must doubtless “lay” for the final resurrection.

Sam disclosed their plans to leave Quarry Farm for New York Oct. 21 and reach Hartford Oct. 24or 25. He encouraged the Howellses to visit [MTLE 4: 111].