July 1 Wednesday – At Mt. McGregor, New York, Sam telegraphed and then wrote Livy that he would leave for Hartford at noon the next day. He added that Gerhardt took a good photograph taken of Grant and that the bust done of Jesse Grant’s child was:
“…a very successful thing, & they are all pleased with it. [The General was] placid, serene, & self-possessed as ever…Manifestly, dying is nothing to a really great & brave man” [MTP].
In the evening he saw General Grant, who handed him the Century’s edited version of Grant’s piece on the Vicksburg battles. Richard Watson Gilder of the Century had requested several additions and transitions, so Sam and Fred Grant worked it over. Sam wanted those changes to be included in the memoirs, so he and Fred worked all night [Perry 222]. Note: Perry puts the date as June 28; but Sam did not arrive at Mt. McGregor until the night of June 30 and left on July 2. So the all-night work, if it did occur, had to have been the night of July 1.
Sam’s delay in leaving was also partly due to waiting for Jesse Grant, who wanted Sam to underwrite a trip to Turkey to investigate a railroad franchise offered by the Sultan [MTNJ 3: 165]. (See notebook notes for full story.) Sam wrote he “had to leave before Jesse could get back, but I shall furnish the money for the experiment.”
Livy’s diary, in Elmira:
A visit today from Ella Corey and Grace Collin, the latter came up to have a day in the country and get acquainted with our children. Ella read to us from the July Atlantic the last installment of Charles Egbert Craddock’s “Prophet of the Great Smoky”. It was wonderfully fine….She also read to us the part of Mr Howells Silas Lapham in the July Century that we found also unusual, it seems as if it showed more the moral struggles of moralists than any thing Mr Howells has ever done before. The characters are all so well drawn. You are compelled to like “Silas”and “Persis” in spite of their commonness—particularly Silas [MTP].
Bills/receipts/statements from Hartford merchants for Sam:
Robert Garvie, plumber (on bill: “Successor to Wm. A. Garvie”), billed $12.78: 17.5 hrs tot labor; Apr. 18, May 7, June 26; drain tile, rubber packing, putting in water boxes; paid July 9; G.A. Hayden, “dlr in fresh, salt & smoked meats, etc.” $21.42 for Apr., May, June fish, clams, lobster, paid; E.A. Newell, “importer and Men’s outfitter, mfgr. shirts” $57 for May 6 “1 doz shirts to order 2 prs Berlin suspenders”, paid; William H. Bulkeley, dry goods $68.27 for long list of clothing items purchased, yardage from Apr. 6, 9, 20, May 4, 5, 11, 20, 21, 28, June 1, 6, 9, 10, 12, 19, paid July 9; D.H. Buell billed $59.35 for “mch 23 repair eye glasses; ditto Mar. 30, Apr. 1 diamond collar button $50; Apr. 10 collar button; Apr. 16 Ice pitcher, June 2, 2 pins sleeve buttons” paid; J.G. Rathbun & Co. druggists & chemists $13.37 for long list of toiletries, soaps, cleaners; cholera mixture, etc: Feb. 11, Apr. 9, 29, May 7, 14, 20, 27 June 11, 20, 24, paid July 9 [MTP].
Western Union Telegraph Co. billed $2.82 for telegrams sent July 3 to N.Y., Hoboken, Elmira; July 11 to Elmira, July 25 to New York and Elmira [MTP]. Note: telegrams sent on July 3 no doubt arranged and notified Sam’s trip back to Elmira.