March 15 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Ulysses S. Grant, to thank him for his influence in saving the Chinese Educational Mission in Hartford, a work close to the heart of Joe Twichell, and underway since 1872. Several Chinese students in the mission had been ordered home to China, due to “bureaucratic squabbling and a growth of anti-Western sentiment.” (See Dec. 24, 1880 entry.)

This achievement of yours is a most strange thing to contemplate. Without exaggeration of phrase or fact, it can be said that from No. 81 in the Fifth Avenue Hotel, you, an unofficial citizen of this republic, have changed the procedure of an empire on the other side of the globe. The Viceroy of China was in a minority in his Government, as concerns this matter; but it is plain that you and he together constitute a majority [Stark 36].

Saloman & DeLeeuw, Hartford tobacco dealers, billed Sam $6.50 for 12 doz. corn cob pipes; marked paid. Why did Sam need so many?; A.J. Hopkins, Hartford, billed $3 for “dentistry 2 horses”; paid [MTP]. The Mar. 22 bill from Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph Co. shows a telegram sent to Boston on this date, recipient unspecified (see entry). Western Union bill for Mar. 31 shows a telegram to Elmira on this date, recipient unspecified (see entry)