June 27 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Howells about finishing part four of the Bermuda travelogue article, “Some Rambling Notes of an Idle Excursion.” As always, Sam deferred to Howells on matters of editing or appropriateness:  

“Do not hesitate to squelch them, even with derision & insult.”

Sam was working on a new comedy play, Cap’n Simon Wheeler, The Amateur Detective. He claimed to have written 55 pages at one sitting [MTLE 2: 85]. Emerson writes, “The play was a satire of Alan Pinkerton’s methods and a burlesque of his books…” [107].

Sam also wrote to Joe Twichell, thanking him for the trip to Bermuda and wishing they might have “had ten days of those walks & talks instead of four!” Sam wrote particulars and revisions for “Rambling Notes.” Twichell had confided bad news about Dean Sage, probably the illness with which he was afflicted, though he lived till 1902. Sam responded, “There are so many we could spare!—& that he should be singled out!” [MTLE 2: 85].