June 1 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to the son of the late Dr. John Brown, John Jr., nicknamed “Jock.” The Clemens family offered condolences. Sam asked for a picture of Dr. Brown.

“I was three thousand miles from home, at breakfast in New Orleans, when the damp morning paper revealed the sorrowful news among the cable dispatches” [MTNJ 2: 500n223]

Sam also typed a letter to the Gerhardts. It is a friendly letter about finances, complimenting them on how “cautious and careful” they were in expenses, and reacting to a drawing sent of a proposed sculpture,

FROM THE DRAWING SENT, I SHOULD SAY KARL’S GROUP PROMISED TO BE VERY BEAUTIFUL; BUT HE MUST NOT EXPECT INTELLIGENT CRITICISM OR SUGGESTIONS FROM US, BECAUSE IF ANY OCCURRED TO US WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THE EFFRONTERY TO GIVE THEM VOICE. WE DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SCULPTURE, YET AT THE SAME TIME WE DO NOT WISH TO EXPOSE THE FULL SIZE OF OUR IGNORANCE BY PUTTING IT ON PAPER [MTP].