November 7 Wednesday – This article ran in the Hartford Times (and Nov. 9 in the New York Times, p4, below), documenting the missing telegram:

THE TELEGRAM THAT WAS “MISLAID”

From the Hartford (Conn.) Times, Nov. 7

On Saturday last Mr. S.L. Clemens (Mark Twain) expected an important telegram. He called for it several times at the telegraph office on Saturday and also on Sunday, but received the answer each time that it had not come. On Monday morning the missing dispatch turned up, It having been mislaid in the office on Saturday. Mr. Clemens now contemplates a suit for damages against the telegraph company.

Charles Webster wrote about business matters: proofs sent of English History & other game board items with costs [MTP].

November 7 through 11 Sunday – Howells arrived in Hartford and collaborated with Sam on the new Sellers play. Howells telegraphed his father, William Cooper Howells, on Nov. 11: “I have been here some days with Clemens, who is expecting his nephew to report upon the scissors business very shortly…I think Clemens means to take hold of it…” [MTHL 1: 448n1]. Note: William Cooper had invented a new type of grape shears. Sam eventually guaranteed him against any loss in the manufacturing and selling of the product. Webster contracted with a Newark toolmaker who produced sixty dozen pairs of the shears. Webster advertised them for a period of time, but this was likely another losing investment for Sam [438n3].