October 21 Thursday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Rollin M. Daggett, his old friend from Virginia City days. Daggett had written earlier when Sam was in Elmira, advising that he was writing a book about the legends of Hawaiian natives with the help of David Kalakaua, the last king of the islands whom Sam met in 1866. Sam wrote that he’d passed Daggett’s letter to Webster “a day or two ago” while in New York.

…he said he would write you at once. I hope he has done so; though as he was just home from Rome and loaded down with work to be got agoing on the Pope’s book, he may have got delayed. But he will not forget. Well, I hope you will be sent to the Senate — for the good of the country and also that we may have a chance to see you and Mrs. Daggett again [MTP]. (See also Nov. 11, 1885 entry)

Sam also wrote to his mother-in-law, Olivia Lewis Langdon, whom he judged would arrive to spend the winter a week from this day (Oct. 28).

Mother dear, we have our Sunday clothes on, & so have the library, the hall & the drawing room theirs on, also — autumn leaves, these latter, same as Adam & Eve wore on company occasions a long time ago — & in three quarters of an hour 30 people will arrive to play whist. Livy & I have nothing to do but sit here with folded hands & wait till the guests come [MTP].