May 10 Saturday – In Hartford Sam spoke at his Saturday Morning Club. His remarks were not recorded [Fatout, MT Speaking 659].

Robert Underwood Johnson wrote for Mrs. Hearst an invitation to Sam to dine at 7 p.m. this evening, or the next if that wasn’t agreeable. [MTP].

Note: The unmailed envelope (no postmark) is addressed to Sam at the Arlington Hotel, and the suspicious looking date on the letter is in a different shade of ink, which may mean it was added later, in error, or it may simply mean the quill was low for that line alone. It is noted that this date conflicts with Fatout’s report above, though Fatout offers nothing besides a simple listing. The case for this date and Sam taking a May 8 “flying trip” to Washington rests on Johnson’s letter and Sam’s notebook:

Donnerstag, nach Washington (Thursday to Washington)

Auf Ruchkehr, Laffan sehen (On return trip, see Laffan)

Hearst, 1400 N.H. Ave [MTNJ 3: 552].

Further, in a N.Y. Times article for May 4, 1890, Richard Watson Gilder was quoted as saying Robert Underwood Johnson had been in Washington for “several days working for passage of the bill.” Also, Johnson’s June 10 letter shows Johnson still in Washington. Together these suggest Johnson was likely in Washington during this time, continually working for passage and/or reconsideration of the International Copyright legislation (which would eventually pass on Mar. 4, 1891). Plus, no letters after Sam’s May 8 to Grace King and before his May 13 to his sister have been found, allowing a short window of opportunity for Sam to make the trip.

The case against this letter’s date being correct rests mainly on circumstantial evidence. The appearance of the different or lighter ink in the very sharp and darkly inked note by Johnson. Plus, no mention of a quick trip to Washington was made in any of Sam’s letters before or just after this date, something he nearly always did with such trips. Sam’s notebook entry above is not dated, nor is his notebook always chronological; the lines may have been added for his June trip to Washington. No record or mention of Sam in Washington was found in the Washington Post nor the N.Y. Times, nor the Hartford Courant, for Sam going to Washington which usually reported such matters. And since the copyright bill failed in the House on May 2 and was reported by all three of the above newspapers, this begs the question, why would he go there after the bill failed? Sam would next be in Washington on June 13 for a few days, which might suggest the notebook references and the letter were written then.

Thus the “May 10”? letter remains here awaiting further evidence. Robert Hirst of the MTP concluded he could not reassign this letter without more proof. All we have now is circumstantial. It is my opinion that it belongs in another date.

Charles W. Felt wrote to Sam enclosing the letter of introduction by Henry O. Houghton. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Brer, tell him it is out of my line,& refer him to Paige. / SLC” [MTP].

The Old Staten Island Dyeing Establishment, N.Y. billed & receipted $3.85 for Cleaning 12 Nurse’s Caps 3.00 exp.30. Add chg .55 [shipping] [MTP].