October 2 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Frank Fuller in New York City. Sam recommended Fanny Hesse to Frank’s friends, mentioned the new baby, and thanked him for an invitation but he’d received it just as they were just starting for Hartford [MTLE 5: 169].
October 4 Monday – Sam paid for the Daily Courant, period Apr. 1, 1880 to Oct. 1, 1880 [Gribben 299].
October 5 Tuesday – Billed from C.G. Gunther’s Sons, New York, for seal and beaver coat and muff, $420.00; paid on Oct. 8 [MTP].
October 6 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Edward House. Evidently House had written suggesting he wanted to visit but didn’t have an exact day. Sam told him, “you come when your affairs permit; just choose the time which suits you best,—we are wholly unhampered.” Sam mentioned “those lovely young girls of Perkins’s” and “a crying baby which keeps Mrs. Clemens awake & busy four-fifths of the night” [MTLE 5: 170].
October 7 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Christian Bernard Tauchnitz. Sam acknowledged receipt of royalties from Tauchnitz and wrote he wished to “express an author’s distinguished appreciation of a publisher who puts moral rights above legal ones, to his own disadvantage” [MTLE 5: 171].
Purchased from Mme. L. Thurn, New York dealer in children’s furnishings, a blue cashmere dress, $25 [MTP].
October 8 Friday – The Conways were traveling to America from England. Sam wrote from Hartford to Moncure Conway. Sam had received a reply to his last letter, but announced:
“Here we are at home, with beds & plates all fixed & ready for Mr. & Mrs. Conway & son; & ourselves anxious to hear that they shall soon be required. Say we may expect you presently—Come, we offer an added inducement: a sight of the new baby” [MTLE 5: 172].
October 9 Saturday – Sam purchased “1 Eng[lish] Suiting (silk lined)” from Frank M. Wilson & Co., Bridgeport, Conn. tailors and Gents Furnishers $50.00 [MTP].
The Oct. 31 bill from Western Union shows a telegram sent to New York, recipient unspecified.
October 11 Monday – Sam purchased one copy of Samuel Orchart Beeton’s Beeton’s Complete Letter-Writer for Ladies and Gentlemen (1873) [Gribben 57]. He also bought “1 City Directory” from Brown & Gross of Hartford [254].
October 12 Tuesday – Ordered from Arnold, Constable & Co., New York, gloves and a cap, $8. Bill paid Oct. 15 [MTP]. The Oct. 31 bill from Western Union shows a telegram sent to Elmira, recipient unspecified (see Oct. 31 entry).
October 13 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells about coming to discuss the Grant reception in Hartford on Oct. 16. Sam wanted to see Howells and Edward House [MTLE 5: 173].
The Oct. 31 bill from Western Union shows a telegram sent to New York, recipient unspecified (see Oct. 31 entry).
October 14 Thursday – Sam took a train to Boston and got a room at the Brunswick Hotel [MTLE 5: 173].
He telegraphed Joe Twichell: “I want you to dine with us saturday half past 5 and meet Col Fred Grant no ceremonies Wear the same shirt you always wear / S.L. Clemens” [174]. Note: See Oct. 16 entry; Telegram in Twichell’s journal.
October 15 Friday – Sam telegraphed at 10 AM from Boston to Howells in Belmont, Mass.:
“I will bet you thirty (30) dollars to ten (10) cents that you wont get this telegram before supper which comes of living out in the woods and the money is up in House’s hands but we start at eleven fifteen 11.15 any way—” [MTLE 5: 175].
October 16 Saturday – Sam gave a speech welcoming General Grant at Hartford’s Bushnell Park. Fatout in Mark Twain Speaking [136]:
October 17 Sunday – Wm. P. Woolley, Hartford livery, billed $9.75 for: May 20 hack to circus; June 10 2 ¼ hrs; June 11 1& ½ hrs; Sept. 30 from cars, express from cars; Oct. 9 use of hack [MTP].
October 18 Monday – Howells wrote from Belmont to Sam about George Gebbie’s attempt at a “Library of Humor,” about seeing Edward House at the Houghton lunch that day, and praised Sam for his speech introducing Grant in Hartford on Oct. 16 [MTHL 1: 330-1].
October 19 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells, enclosing an article quoting Sam’s speech for General Grant. Evidently, Howells was unable to attend [MTLE 5: 176].
October 20 Wednesday – A bill from Woolley’s Livery Stable for use of a hack on Oct. 19 and 20“from Opera [House]” suggests the Clemenses were still in Hartford late this day [MTP].
October 21 Thursday – Sam and Livy made a quick shopping trip to New York, probably spending one night there and leaving Oct.22.
October 22 Friday – A receipt with this date shows Livy purchased five hats and a pair of stockings from Annie Bailey on W. 12th street in New York City [MTNJ 2: 358n6]. Note: It’s doubtful she would have gone to the city alone, so Sam and Livy probably made a quick trip there between Oct. 19 and this day, since Sam was home on Oct.
October 23 Saturday – Sylvester Baxter came to visit Sam [MTLE 5: 183], who then wrote from Hartford to Frank Bliss, introducing Baxter, the young reporter from the Boston Herald; Baxter had interviewed him recently. Baxter wanted to know “all about the subscription book business” and Sam vowed that Bliss could “speak freely to him, for he will not print anything you do not want exposed” [180].
October 24 Sunday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Orion, enclosing $25. Sam wrote simply: “Bliss is dead. The aspect of the balance-sheet is enlightening.” He concluded that “Out of the suspicions” Orion had “bred…years ago” he profited an extra $20,000 on Tramp by making better deals. So, out of gratitude he increased Orion’s monthly stipend to $75, the amount he’d get in interest from the sum he’d saved.
October 25 Monday – Sam wrote instructions from Hartford to Charles Perkins. Orion was now to receive $75 a month, beginning with Nov. [MTLE 5: 184].
Paid to Madame Fogarty, New York $495 for various “costumes.” E.L. Bullock billed $11.50 for work on house [MTP]. Note: Bullock later cleaned chimney.
October 26 Tuesday – Sam gave a political speech at a Republican Rally for James A. Garfield at the Hartford Opera House. The speech and exposition is in Fatout’s Mark Twain Speaking [138-144]. Sam used hieroglyphic notes, which he sent to Howells in a letter of Oct. 28.
October 27 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Clara M. Wilson, a girl who had written asking for an autograph with sentiment. “Most of these swell proverbs which we have fed on, morally, all our lives, are brim full of humor…” Sam gave an example: “A lie carries with it its own antidote.”
October 28 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells, sending him the hieroglyphic notes of his Oct. 26 political speech. It was his plan to “get the advantage of a bad memory.” Though Sam kept the notes in his pocket, he claimed he didn’t have to refer to them [MTLE 5: 186].