August 25 Thursday – Sam wrote in the morning from Boston to Livy about his trip from Elmira.

“I never saw Mr. Slee any more after I went to bed at midnight in the cars. I found, next morning, in Albany, that I could catch the Springfield train by rushing; so I rushed—in a hack—& was the last passenger that joined it.” Sam told of seeing a working man who’d taken the wrong train so Sam paid his fare back on a 2-day ticket.

On this day or the next, Sam visited Charles Fairchild (1838-1910) (see Sept. 3 entry to Howells).

Sam also wrote to Chatto & Windus, accepting the royalties they’d offered in a July 15 letter over those of Routledge & Sons.

Mr. Osgood showed me your account on sales of “Tramp” to July 1st, & he said you had given it to Conway for transmission. Conway has forgotten to send it, I suppose. But that is no matter, inasmuch as we have it; if the notes had accompanied the statement, I should feel it best to have Conway killed, on account of the delay; but as they were not then due, he has not committed a capital offense [MTP].

Livy wrote to Charles Webster about details on the remodel of the Farmington Avenue house. She was still in Branford, Conn. [MTBus 166]. Webster was running two businesses and trying to coordinate details on the Clemens home, all while in New York. A very busy man.

Orion wrote more about pages of his autobiography and revisions of it [MTP].

Charles Webster wrote to Clemens about Yung Wing’s note that he heard “officially from China” and that they were considering adopting “the American system” (unspecified). He also wrote of James Ahern’s estimate of $273 was preceded by a bill this day for $491.77, and “he hasn’t finished yet. If we don’t stop it will cost as much as Chamberlain’s whole house” [MTP].