January 25 Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira to his sister, Pamela Moffett. He told of their plans to return to Hartford, and of his mother-in-law’s stomach ache.

…Susie Crane stepped into the closet where the district-telegraph machine is, to call the doctor, but made a mistake & called the fire-department! In two minutes the yard & adjacent streets were swarming with shouting men & shrieking steam fire engines. None of us knew what it meant, as Sue did not know she had made any mistake. It was the biggest audience that a stomach ache ever called together in this State, I judge [MTLE 5: 14].