September 16 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Joe Twichell, who evidently had written recently.

On the contrary, the summer has been lost time to me. I spent several weeks in the dental chair, coming down the hill every day for the purpose; then I made a daily trip during several more weeks to a doctor to be treated for catarrh & have my palate burnt off. The remnant of the season I wasted in ineffectual efforts to work. I haven’t a paragraph to show for my summer.

Sam had brought a bicycle with him to Quarry Farm but had little luck with it due to all the hills. Livy wouldn’t be ready to travel for at least a week. Sam told of Gerhardt and ruining the bust when casting was attempted in plaster; that Gerhardt had gone to Philadelphia to cast it in bronze. Sam was glad Joe and family were home again and that the Clemens “tribe” would be there soon [MTP].

September 16? Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Henry C. Robinson, attorney and one of his Friday Evening Club billiard cronies in Hartford.

“P.S. I spoke too soon, Brer Robinson. Mrs. Clemens has been sick & won’t be strong enough to travel for a week or ten days, yet. So I’ll have to appoint another & later billiard-meeting” [MTP; www.historyforsale.com #42883]. Note: Sam signed this “Elmira, Monday 16th” so date is uncertain.