June 5 Friday – In Hartford, Sam wrote to Howells. He had read the June installment of The Rise of Silas Lapham in the Century, and “found it as great & fine & strong & beautiful as Mrs. Clemens had already proclaimed it to be.” Sam extended an invitation for the Howellses to visit them on June 10 [MTP]. Note: in a June 6 response, Howells explained his daughter had been sick and that Osgood’s business failure had caused them to be “a great deal distracted.” They would not be able to visit. With the conclusion of his agreement with Osgood, Howells was now in negotiation with other publishers [MTHL 2: 532 & n1].

In the evening, Sam gave a reading for the Art Society Benefit, Unity Hall, Hartford. His selections were “King Sollermun,” and “German Lesson” [Fatout, MT Speaking 656].