January 7 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to George W. Bagby the famous Southern humorist, who had written on Dec. 20 with some sort of invitation. Sam was too busy to accept.

“They say that time is money; it must be so, seeing it is so difficult to get, in any sufficient quantity” [MTP].

Sam paid an undated bill from Hawley, Goodrich & Co., Hartford, $7 total for: Nov. 3, 1880 N.Y. & Boston newspapers, messenger boy; Dec. 25, 1880 two tickets to Salvini $4 (see Dec. 30, 1880 entry); Subscription to Courant from Oct. 1, 1880 to Jan. 1, 1881 [MTP].

Will M. Clemens wrote from Pittsburgh to Sam, sure that Clemens thought him a bore but he’d answered all his letters and he thanked him for it. He stated he wasn’t an orphan, but would be 21 on the 16th. After a long drawn out story about his youth and education, Will asked, would Sam “accept him into his household?” to be his secretary [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Shucks!”