October 26 Monday – Sam had returned to New York, this time with Livy [see Oct. 28 to Annie Webster]. He made a notebook entry that “Up to date, 320,000 sets of General Grant’s book have been subscribed for—that is to say, 640,000 single volumes” [MTNJ 3: 204]. He also noted seeing a play at the Metropolitan in New York.:

“Saw [Tommaso] Salvini in Othello. His was a grand performance, but his support was wretchedly poor. They might as well all have talked Italian—or Sanscrit, for that matter—nobody would understand what they said” [205].

John O’Neil began work for the Clemens family as their gardener, paid $50 per month. He would serve them many years [MTNJ 3: 206n75]. John’s wife Ellen O’Neill, was also employed [MTA 2: 32].

Sam also wrote a letter of introduction for his attorney, Daniel Whitford, to Samuel G. Dunham, who had loaned Sam $100,000. Whitford would “take this loan business off my ignorant hands, & furnish some information which I was not able to furnish myself.” Sam added a PS that he would be at home at “7.21 to-morrow evening” [MTP].

Jane Clemens wrote from Keokuk to Sam & family that she wished to see “you all.” She’d lost a letter to them she wrote this day but couldn’t find it. “I like this city. Because it is so healthy. The most of the old people I knew are gone. But there is good people here yet. I don’t care so much for company as I did” [MTP].