February 1 Tuesday – Livy and Clara Spaulding went to the Gerhardts; they fell in love with the young couple and invited them to dinner a few nights later [MTLP 399].

Sam wrote from Hartford to L.C. Orvis of the Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph Co., who had written, “Dear Sir,— Am sorry this bill [for $0.43] is not larger will try & do better next time if you will assist! “ Sam responded that he would try [MTP].

Sam also wrote to James R. Osgood. He couldn’t go to New York to sign the P&P contracts, so he advised Osgood of Perkins’ suggestion for Osgood to “draw up duplicates & run down here & sign, & lug off the MS…” which Sam finished “once more to-day” [MTP]. Evidently the Clemens children were not well.

Sam also wrote to James Hammond Trumbull, about a detail or two in the P&P book [MTP]. Trumbull was the Hartford scholar who wrote chapter epigraphs for The Gilded Age. Gribben notes that Sam “based events in chapters 15, 23, and 27 of P&P on facts he obtained from Trumbull’s True Blue Laws…” [716].

American Union Telegraph Co. billed Sam 86 cents for a message sent Jan. 5 to Elmira; Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph Co. billed 43 cents for a message to Elmira [MTP]. Perhaps Sam wanted to see which company could get it there faster?

Fox & Co. Hartford grocers, billed $56. 78 for “amt of bill to date pass book” for January; paid Feb. 2; J.P. Newton, “meat, poultry, game, fish & vegetables” billed $5.24 for fish, oysters & lobster purchased on Jan. 5, 12, 14, 21, 26, 28; paid Feb. 3 [MTP].

Augustus P. Chamberlaine wrote to Sam, enclosed with Sam to Pamela Feb. 3. He provided an address south of Santa Barbara for “young Moffett” to visit, some 75 miles south [MTP].