September 1 Tuesday – Jesse R. Grant wrote giving Henry A. Taylor’s NYC address and saying he’d advise Taylor that Sam would call on him regarding the Turkish railroad scheme [MTP].
Frank C. Raubs wrote from City Prison, NYC to beg for a loan of $50 for bail [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “From the scoundrel Raubs” who had stolen from Webster & Co.
September 2 Wednesday – Susan E. Dickinson wrote: “I sent Miss Bond off to school 24 hours before your letter came. Now I send her your check; and she will send it back to me to draw from bank here…”” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Anna Dickinson’s sister”; Sade E. Bond.
September 3 Thursday – Webster & Co. per Frederick J. Hall wrote reporting total sales of the Grant books at 175,000 sets; other agent requests to be answered with postcards preprinted [MTP].
September 4 Friday – William Hamersley wrote with his usual illegible scrawl about the Paige operators and stock [MTP].
Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote another couple of large pages in longhand, suggesting that nothing from the Grant book be published ahead of time [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Possibly 250,000 sets sold”
September 5 Saturday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Karl Gerhardt. Sam did not want a connection between the Webster Co. and Gerhardt’s bust and statue of Grant. He did not want either of the two works by Gerhardt to be see as his attempt to profit from Grant’s death.
September 6 Sunday – Sade E. Bond wrote, enclosed in Dickinson Sept. 16 [MTP].
Orion Clemens wrote: Check for $150 rec’d. “Ma went up to Burlington (40 miles) with a steamboat excursion Thursday. Returned same day.” Ma sent Puss and bought a dress to overdraw her account $4 [MTP].
September 8 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Chatto & Windus, acknowledging receipt of their Aug. 21 letter with notes for £986.10.5.
“It is true that Huck Finn has not treated you kindly, but it must be because the English people do not understand that dialect; for here, where the people do understand it, the book has sold more than 60,000 copies, at my usual high prices—$2.75 to $4.50 a copy.”
September 9 Wednesday – Sam entered in his notebook Bissell’s acknowledgement of Chatto’s notes [MTNJ 3: 188].
Webster & Co. per Frederick J. Hall wrote: “Your favor enclosing statement from Chatto & Windus is received; we have placed it in the safe.” More sales numbers on the Grant books, this time from Indiana and Illinois [MTP].
September 11 Friday – Sam wrote a rather long reply, from Elmira to Henry Ward Beecher, who wrote on Sept. 8 asking to see the Grant Memoirs to aid in a eulogy Beecher was to deliver on Oct. 22. He asked for Sam’s views on Grant and especially his opinion on Grant’s drinking.
September 14 Monday – Livy was depressed about leaving Quarry Farm, but was encouraged at Susy’s unselfish instincts in making up a bag of amusements for Jean on the trip. Livy’s diary entry:
We start for New York tomorrow the 15th leaving this beloved Quarry Farm. We expect to spend a few days in New York & then on to Hartford….The blessed child…was doing some thing for the pleasure of some one else [MTP].
September 15 Tuesday – The Clemens family left Elmira and Quarry Farm and traveled to New York City [Sept. 5 to Gerhardt; MTNJ 3: 189].