June 4 Monday – Upon his return from Canada, Sam saw Pedro Carolino’s book with his introduction and felt it would be a nice gesture to send it to Princess Louise. He also wrote from Hartford to Sir Francis De Winton in Ottawa:

 I very much want to send a little book to her Royal Highness—the famous Portuguese phrase book; but I do not know the etiquette of the matter, and I would not wittingly infringe any rule of propriety. It is a book which I perfectly well know will amuse her “some at most” if she has not seen it before, and will still amuse her “some at least,” even if she has inspected it a hundred times already….P.S. Although the introduction dates a year back, the book is only just now issued. A good long delay [MTLP 432].

Sam also typed a letter to George W. Cable, saying the “girls were mightily delighted with your telegram.” Sam felt he finally had secured a Canadian copyright. Cable may have asked his advise on securing a publisher. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, Sam answered:

… I WOULD SAY, EVERY TIME, GO TO MY FORMER PUBLISHERS, THE AMERICAN PUBLISHING CO., 284 ASYLUM ST. THEY SWINDLED ME OUT OF HUGE SUMS OF MONEY IN THE OLD DAYS, BUT THEY DO KNOW HOW TO PUSH A BOOK; AND BESIDES, I THINK THEY ARE HONEST PEOPLE NOW. I THINK THERE WAS ONLY ONE THIEF IN THE CONCERN, AND HE IS SHOVELING BRIMSTONE NOW [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Mary Mason Fairbanks, who evidently achieved some honor in Sam’s behalf.

It was lovely in you to do it, & I most highly appreciate the feeling that prompted you; but I am an interested Judge & jury, & cannot sit upon my own case. In my heart I should question my verdict, whichever way I gave it….A merely reasonable good looking girl who is told she is beautiful does not like to consent that she is, & yet would not willingly confess that she isn’t, to the complimented. There is no middle ground: she must move a change a venue.

Sam confided that Livy was “still as thin as a rail,” but that they planned to leave on June 14 for Elmira for the summer [MTP]. Livy was well enough to inscribe Peter Henderson’s Practical Horticulture (1874) to the Clemens’ gardener, Daniel Maloy [MTP; Gribben 307].

John Douglas Campbell (Lord Lorne) wrote, “glad you arrived safely home.” He added, “I like to hear of Mrs. Stowe still enjoying her recollections of old days with my people in England” [MTP].