May 13 Thursday – Sam sent John T. Raymond $1,500 at seven per cent interest. John’s approach may have been brazen, but Sam generously offered a lower rate and made the loan [MTL 6: 479].

Sam and Joe Twichell went to New Haven to shop and to visit Othniel Charles Marsh “America’s first professor of paleontology, holding that chair at Yale from 1866 until his death [in 1899].” Sam and Joe “talked Evolution” and returned to Hartford by train. They ran into Elisha Bliss on the return trip, who gave a “full and funny account of all he had suffered from Bret Harte” in publishing Gabriel Conroy [MTL 6: 483-4n3].

Edward T. Potter wrote to Sam having rec’d his May 12 (not extant). More details about the new house: fireplace slabs, blinds, landscaping, etc.[MTP].

John Raymond sent a telegram: “What answer to my letter am anxious to know so as to make my arrangements have you heard from Gillette / JT Raymond” [MTP]. Note: file says MAY 12 but that telegram asked for the loan.