March 11 Friday – Frank M. Wilson & Co. “Tailors and Gent’s Furnishers,” Bridgeport, Conn. billed Sam $96.00 for “2 Eng silk lined Sack suits” [MTP].
March 12 Saturday – R.P. Kenyon & Co., New York, billed $4 to Sam for “1 silk hat for coachman del to McLear” (Patrick McAleer); paid Mar. 18 [MTP].
March 15 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Ulysses S. Grant, to thank him for his influence in saving the Chinese Educational Mission in Hartford, a work close to the heart of Joe Twichell, and underway since 1872.
March 16 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to his sister, Pamela Moffett.
To-day we bought Mr. Chamberlain’s [Franklin Chamberlin (1821-1896) Hartford attorney] greenhouse & 100 feet of land adjoining our east line (to stop Mr. C. from building a dwelling house there); we have also set architect & builder to work to tear down our kitchen & build a bigger one; & at the same time the decorators will decorate the walls & ceilings of our whole lower floor.
March 17 Thursday – Wm. Hudner, Hartford merchant billed Sam $22 for Mar. 17; May $27, June $29.70 for undecipherable purchases [MTP].
Thomas A. Davis pastor (& cousin of R.R. Morris above) wrote from Trenton to ask Clemens for a donation of $125 [MTP].
March 18 Friday – A.J. Glazier, Hartford “real estate and loan agent” receipted Sam $150 “on purch of lot from chamberlain” [MTP].
March 19 Saturday – Susy Clemens’ ninth birthday.
Wm. T. Bassett, hairdresser, billed Sam $20 “From Feb. 1 up to Mar. 19 shaving & haircuts” [MTP].
March 21 Monday – The New York Times reported under “Literary Notes” on page 3:
—It is rumored that James R. Osgood & Co. have engaged Mark Twain to prepare a “Cyclopedia of Humor”
Western Union bill for Mar. 31 shows a telegram to New York on this date (see entry for others).
March 22 Tuesday – N.Y., New Haven & Hartford R.R. billed Sam $2.31 for “transporting ½ bbl wine”; paid; Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph Co. billed $1.22 for telegrams: Mar. 15 to Boston, Mar. 22 to N.Y. [MTP].
March 23 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to the American Publishing Co., asking that his “several books” be sent to “Joseph T. Goodman, Fresno City, Cal.” [MTP].
March 24 Thursday – William Bryan, Jr., proprietor wrote from Branford, Conn. with details on rooms at the Montowese House [MTP].
March 26 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood on sales figures and press releases for Tramp [MTLTP 135].
March 27 Sunday – Conard J. Warren wrote a begging letter for a distressed lady from Washington DC. Sam noted, “Never heard of him before” on the env. [MTP].
March 28 Monday – N. Nott of Hartford billed Sam $11.40 for 146 feet of wood, paid [MTP]. Western Union bill for Mar. 31 shows a telegram to New York on this date (see entry for others).
March 30 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood thanking him for books sent and requesting another. About Jesse Leathers’ manuscript:
March 31 Thursday – In Hartford Sam, soured on the brass-engraving process, wrote two letters to Dan Slote:
April – Before Apr. 29, Sam hired his niece’s husband, Charles Luther Webster to take over dealings in the Kaolatype and brass ventures. Webster was 29, a civil engineer and real estate man in Fredonia. Sam realized he couldn’t see to the business details of his investments and give his writing the focus needed. (See Apr.
April 1 Friday – Bills/Receipts/Statements from Hartford merchants:
April 2 Saturday – Sam purchased “one Singer Sewing Machine #3321714” from Singer Manufacturing Co., Hartford, for $40 [MTP].
James R. Osgood wrote from Boston to Sam about “a letter from [H.N.] Hinckely, [sic Hinckley] the Chicago man, and have replied to him that ‘a Handbook of Etiquette’ would be a trade-book, that the ‘Cyclopedia of Humor’ would not be published for a considerable time—(by the way, have you heard from Gebbie yet?)” [MTP]. See Apr. 4.
April 4 Monday – Western Union Telegraph Co. bill of Apr. 30 shows telegram sent this date to New York, recipient not specified (see that entry for others).
April 6 Wednesday – Western Union Telegraph Co. bill of Apr. 30 shows telegram this date to and from Ft. Hamilton (Brooklyn), recipient not specified (see that entry for others).
Edward Duffy wrote from Utica, NY to ask Clemens’ advice for a little book describing the country home of Horatio Seymour (1810-1886), twice Governor of NY and loser in the 1868 election of Grant [MTP].
April 7 Thursday – Western Union Telegraph Co. bill of Apr. 30 shows telegram sent this date to New York, recipient not specified (see that entry for others).
E. Muchall wrote to Clemens asking for “a few lines” from him. Muchall wrote for a religious paper in NY but the “remuneration is so small I do not care to waste my time” [MTP].
April 8 Friday – Sam wrote two letters from Hartford to Frank Bliss, the first receipting a royalty check for $630.56 for the sale of “old books” which Sam felt was “Very good, indeed, in spite of the weather.” The second note asked for a cloth Tramp book to be sent to H. L.
April 9 Saturday – Yung Wing wrote from Wash. D.C. having rec’d Grant’s letter to Li Hung Chang and two letters from Grant to Clemens. He had forwarded copies to John Russell Young and to Edward House [MTP].
April 10 Sunday – Karl Gerhardt wrote from Paris to Sam and Livy about his entrance into and positive experience in the Ecole des Beaux Arts [MTP].
Joe Goodman wrote from Fresno to Clemens.