July 16 Friday – In Elmira Sam responded to Frederick J. Hall’s letter of July 15; Sam didn’t need any money until the end of the year, but was concerned about the stability of banks, and feared that “a bank might break on us,” so wanted extra money not needed in Webster & Co., put in Treasury bonds or in a deposit vault. Sam named Mary Fairbanks, Mrs. Jervis Langdon and Susan L. Crane as not having yet received Volume II of Grant’s Memoirs. Sam wanted Hall to watch the N.Y. Sun to see if Father O’Reilly reported on Webster’s interview with the Pope, as he recognized fully the advertising value to the upcoming book [MTLTP 200-1].

Sam also wrote a short letter to Edward H. House, telling of their return from the long trip to Keokuk and mentioning a “strange language invented” by Susy Clemens and Daisy (Margaret) Warner. Livy had intended to write to Koto and insert a letter written by the two girls.

I wanted to see if you couldn’t dig out the key of the language & translate the screed. I am maintaining that you will succeed — therefore don’t disappoint me. We can’t make head or tail of it ourselves — but we haven’t any talent that way. Susie & Daisy write it & talk it with facility. It looks idiotic on paper, but has a flowing & musical sound when spoken. It strikes me as a most infernally ingenious & original achievement, & a kind of a proud thing to happen in the family [MTP].

Frederick J. Hall typed a letter from Webster & Co. To Sam regarding the Philadelphia magnate Wanamaker, and their attempts to find out where he was getting the Grant books he was selling cheaper than subscription prices. The matter would go to court. Daniel Whitford, Sam’s N.Y. attorney, was off to Philadelphia to confer with sales agents Rawle & Smith [MTP].