July 12 Monday – In Elmira at Quarry Farm, Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, his business agent and longtime friend, covering a variety of personal and business matters. The 500 cigars Whitmore sent had arrived; he was glad to hear that William Whitmore, Franklin’s son, was compositing record numbers of ems per hour; Sam agreed Franklin should sell the American Exchange Co.
July 14 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam wrote a short note to Frederick J.
July 15 Thursday – In Elmira Sam wrote to his sister, Pamela Moffett. He told of almost missing seeing the Moffetts in Chicago and of the comfortable rail trip home. He added a paragraph to soothe Pamela’s sensitive nature:
July 16 Friday – In Elmira Sam responded to Frederick J. Hall’s letter of July 15; Sam didn’t need any money until the end of the year, but was concerned about the stability of banks, and feared that “a bank might break on us,” so wanted extra money not needed in Webster & Co., put in Treasury bonds or in a deposit vault.
July 17 Saturday – In Elmira Sam wrote a short note to Charles M. Underhill, responding that they would visit the Clemenses in Hartford “by & by, & let us get even on you,” which suggests a visit had been recently made to the Underhill family, and a visit would be expected after the summer in Elmira.
July 18 Sunday – General James Barnet Fry wrote from Newport, R.I., having received Sam’s of July 14 agreeing to speak before General Fry’s association of soldiers at Governor’s Island, N.Y. in the fall. The secretary would inform Sam of the time [MTP].
July 19 Monday – Daniel Whitford, attorney with Alexander & Green, advised Frederick J. Hall against withdrawing “any considerable currency from the Banks and” placing “it in Safe Deposit Vaults” [MTLTP 201n1]. This had been Sam’s and Hall’s plan to avoid a possible bank failure.
July 20 Tuesday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam that the firm had $248,000 in the U.S. National and Mount Morris banks, and $186,000 in receivables.
July 21 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam gave a reading at the New York State Reformatory for men: His chosen texts were: “German,” “Whistling,” “Trying Situation,” “King Sollermun” [Fatout, MT Speaking 657]. Sam’s notebook lists these readings with an estimated time of “1 hour & 15 min.” [MTNJ 3: 245]. From Budd’s update: For a first-hand account see The Summary
July 22 Thursday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Charles Dudley Warner, praising one of his works, unspecified. It may have been his novel, Their Pilgrimage (1886). Sam gushed over the work:
July 23 Friday – Pamela Moffett wrote from Keokuk, Iowa to Sam. This is a long letter, some seventeen small page sides, mostly about her finances and how she and her son, Samuel Moffett were doing okay. She added praise for Livy and the children:
July 25 Sunday – Charles Dudley Warner wrote that Sam’s note, “made me blush with pleasure, which is saying a great deal for such an old stoger. Nothing that has happened in connection with the serial has been so welcome to me as your opinion.” Sam wrote on the envelope, “A value letter from Chas Dudley Warner” [MTP].
July 26 Monday – Jean Clemens’ sixth birthday.
July 27 Tuesday – The New York Times, p.6, ran a humorous story of Mark Twain and a swindle by a plumber.
DOCTOR, PLUMBER, AND TWAIN.
July 28 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, after receiving news that a competitor typesetter, the Thorne machine (ironically, manufactured in Hartford), had failed. Sam enclosed August checks received.
July 29 Thursday – Sam wrote to Thomas W. Knox (letter not extant) inviting him for a drink [Referred to by Knox on Aug. 2].
July 30 Friday – Sam took the ten-hour train trip to New York City, where he checked into a hotel, took a bath, and wrote to Livy.
July 31 Saturday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam (Webster, in Rome, to Hall July 15 enclosed), asking if he should open a new account with the American Exchange National Bank, as Daniel Whitford had advised.
August – English author William Smith sent Sam an inscribed copy of Morley: Ancient and Modern, London (1886): To S.L. Clemens, Esq./with the Author’s kind regards/Morley, Aug. 1866 [Gribben 650]. (See Oct. 18 to Smith).
August 1 Sunday – In Lawrence, New York (Long Island), Sam wrote to Livy of his time with the Laffans in their residence:
August 2 Monday – In New York City, about to leave for Philadelphia, Sam, at the offices of Webster & Co., 42 East 14th on Union Square, wrote to Livy:
August 3 Tuesday – In Philadelphia, Sam attended a hearing before Judge Butler in U.S. Circuit court.
August 4 Wednesday – Sam did not stay in Philadelphia as he’d anticipated, since the ruling would not come for several days. He went to Hartford for an interview with Mrs. Zadel Barnes Gustafson for the London Pall Mall Gazette, then returned to New York [MTNJ 3: 229n6; Aug. 6 to Mollie]. Note: No interview appeared in the Gazette.
August 5 Thursday – Sam returned to Elmira (probably this day) from New York, a ten-hour trip.
August 6 Friday – Back in Elmira Sam wrote to Mollie Clemens, responding to her Aug. 2 letter which detailed Orion, Pamela, Ma and herself being poisoned by bad milk while on an excursion: