May 29 Friday – In Hartford Franklin G. Whitmore took down a letter to Mary Mason Fairbanks for Sam, who suffered greatly from a rheumatic right arm.
Dear Mother Fairbanks.
I have not had the use of my right arm for some time, and so I have been obliged to do the little writing necessary to be done through the medium of dictation! — a vehicle so awkward for me and so irritating that I not only curse and swear all the time I am dictating, but am impatient and dissatisfied because God has given me only one tongue to curse and swear with. I could give employment to a hundred and fifty if I had them, these days.
Sam then announced the letter was “a word of goodbye” for himself and the family. Here wrote they’d go to Europe “until we shall get tired.” Sam thought he’d reach that point in 30 days, Jean in 60, Clara in 90, Susie in 100, “and Livy in six months” [MTP].
Franklin G. Whitmore also responded for Sam to Samuel W. Buckus’ May 21 request for a photograph. A photograph of Sam was enclosed [MTP].
C.H. Cornwell wrote from Danielsonville, Conn. to Sam, responding with questions to Sam’s Courant ad selling a pair of carriage horses — Whitmore answered the man (copy in the file) [MTP].
Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam, who quoted from Hall’s letter in his notebook, and added that he “telegraphed Hall to accept these terms for me”:
In re your letters from the other side. For all letters containing not less than 3,500 words, McClure is to pay you $1,000 per letter. If they contain more than 3,500 words, so much the better. If the letters contain less than 3,500 words he is to pay you at the rate of $300 per thousand words [MTNJ 3: 632; MTP].
Benjamin Walter wrote from N.Y. asking if he might get permission to take a Tom Sawyer play “out on the road” — Whitmore declined for Sam [MTP].
Sam’s notebook: May 29/91, 1.30 p.m. tried to send a telegram through telephone & couldn’t. They charge you for the use of this deaf & dumb thing [3: 632].
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
5278 Plimpton Manufacturing Co. 10.60
5279 Conn. Trust & Safe Deposit 10.00
5280 G.W. Fuller & Son 32.25
5281 Hunting & Hammond 160.20
5283 Miss Fanny Johnson 10.00