August 29 Monday – Sam wrote to an unidentified man, who evidently reported that someone else printed Sam’s words. Yes, those were the same words he’d used in his recent Matthew Arnold speech, but it was “only a phrase — easily made & of no value….I don’t believe the game is worth your powder” [MTP]. Note: this letter is labeled from Hartford, but the Clemens family was yet in Elmira, so either the date is off, or the place, or Sam made another trip to Hartford just two weeks before the family left Quarry Farm for home (less likely).

Sam also wrote a short note to Franklin G. Whitmore.

Only one drawing more to go to P & W! [Pratt & Whitney Co.] Good — get it in, get it in! & then we are all right [MTP].

Edward H. House wrote to Sam — a letter that would be used in his 1890 lawsuit, or at least it was so reported in the N.Y. Times; no letter is in the file at MTP:

This morning I had to satisfaction of seeing the whole five acts completed before me, with the single exception of the closing scene of Act V [N.Y. Times, “Mark Twain Hauled Up” p.5, Jan.27, 1890].