June 17 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam sent a short note to W. Minor.
“I believe if I were you I would continue to sort beans & sand sugar, & not stray out of my God-appointed beat & strain my capacities” [MTP]. Note: This implies the recipient is a grocer, but not much else.
Sam also wrote a short note to James B. Pond, thanking him for the burro sent to Elmira by Pond’s brother Homer Pond [MTP]. Sam added,
“Redpath is in New York, & I shan’t need him for 2 or 3 weeks. I have written him to go & see you”
Sam also wrote a short note to Charles Webster, enclosing a note from Charles Clark of the Courant and one from a man named Joseph Fewsmith, a friend of Clark’s as well as Gerhardt’s, who was looking to be an agent in Newark, New Jersey for the sale of Grant’s book [MTP]. Note: It seems to have been Sam’s habit to write many short notes on the day the family was to leave a place—possibly to avoid much of the hubbub involved with the move.
Sam inscribed in volume 1 of John Lord’s (1810-1894) Beacon Lights of History (1884-1896): “2 vols subscribed for—& the same taken & paid for, June 17 ’85./ S. L. Clemens ” [Gribben 423].
The Clemens family left Hartford bound for New York and Elmira.