March 26 Friday – In New York, Sam wrote on Webster & Co. Letterhead to Mrs. Henry G. Allen. [MTP: Paraphrased from Charles Hamilton catalogs, Jan. 21, 1982, No. 143 Item 54].

The outside of your kind letter had such a business-like aspect that I handed it (without opening it) to a clerk to be answered. But there are some things which even the ablest clerk can’t do & this turned out to be one of them…”[MTP]

Jane Clemens and Orion Clemens wrote to Sam of family doings. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Poor old Ma, asking in haste for news about people who have been dead 40, 50, & 60 years” [MTP].

Sam and Livy returned to Hartford. Susy’s biography of Sam puts the time expected home, and relates Sam’s play to engage a game on the Sabbath.

March 26. Mamma and Papa have been in New York for two or three days, and Miss Corey has been staying with us. They are coming home today at two o’clock.

      Papa has just begun to play chess, and he is very fond of it, so he has engaged to play with Mrs. Charles Warner every morning from 10 to 12, he came down to supper / dinner last night, full of this pleasant prospect, but evidently with something on his mind. Finally he said to Mamma in an isterine tone, Susy Warner and I have a plan.

      “Well” mamma said “What now, I wonder.” Papa said that “Susy Warner” and he were going to name the chess men after some of the old bible heroes, and then play chess on Sunday [Papa 211].