June 18 Thursday – Sam wrote from New York to James B. Pond thanking him for another jackass that Homer Pond had sent and asking if Pond would pay Homer, then he’d reimburse him once he was in Elmira. He was sending Homer copies of Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer and P&P, “in the hope that he has some little people around him who will read them” [MTP]. The family spent the day in New York City, staying at the Hotel Normandie. Livy did some shopping.

Jane Clemens wrote to family. Unfortunately the letter has bled through and it would take “an army of coolies to decipher it.” (Thanks to the MT Forum for this burst of inspiration) [MTP].

Pamela Moffett wrote having rec’d his letter “last night”. She understood why he didn’t write much; she had an easy life though her health was not good. Sammy read aloud to her a lot. Her dyspepsic childhood; being an “invalid wife”—all to explain “why I am so stupid when I visit you, and manage to mortify you and Livy and myself.” She claimed her illness had weakened her mind [MTP].