November 30 Sunday – Sam’s 55th Birthday.

In Elmira funeral services and burial were held for Olivia Lewis Langdon. Livy was joined by her daughters, Clara and Susy Clemens. Sam remained in Hartford. From the Dec. 1 Elmira Daily Advertiser:

The funeral services of Mrs. Jervis Langdon were held yesterday [Nov. 30] afternoon at the family residence, corner of Main and West Church streets. The hour was 2 o’clock…the services were very simple, without music, and were conducted by the Rev. Thomas K. Beecher…. The interment was private, only the members of the family and their immediate friends attending the remains to Woodlawn.

She was laid to rest between her husband, Jervis Langdon, and Langdon Clemens, infant son of Samuel and Olivia Clemens in Woodlawn Cemetery. See Jerome & Whisbey, Mark Twain in Elmira p.161 for a cemetery plot chart.

In Hartford Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall relating three hours of “social stuff” talk with Watson Gill, the bookstore owner who had a contract with Webster & Co. to dispose of surplus books from subscription sales. Gill objected to the company moving into the trade business, but Sam’s situation was respected.

I liked Gill for one thing — he didn’t enlarge on the business when he found how I was situated. He had said he only wanted existing contracts lived up to. To which I answered, in effect, that the contracts are always able to take care of themselves when they are clearly and not confusingly worked; and that we always live up to our contracts.

I know you will do the right and fair thing; and I shall endorse your action and back it up [MTP].