November 19 Wednesday – Rev. Edwin Pond Parker wrote to Sam upset at learning a “public reception” for H.M. Stanley would be given following his Hartford lecture, and solely to those who had paid $1 to hear him. He applied to Sam assuming that the Stanley’s would be their guest again [MTP].

An unidentified person from N.Y. sent Sam a critical note about the firing of the conductor [MTP].

Orion Clemens wrote two letters to Sam. The first letter is about Ma’s broach pin, and a will they found which settled the question of whom was to receive the pin; they had already sent the pin to Pamela, but Mollie was to have inherited it. Orion felt the will was written before Sam had children. He wanted Livy to have Ma’s afghan if she wished. The second note asked if Sam wanted Ma’s large bible, date 1817 — “has pa’s birth and marriage in his own hand — your birth in ma’s hand, &c” [MTP].

November 19 or 20 Thursday – This day or the day before, word by telegram arrived at the Clemens’ home that Livy’s mother, Olivia Lewis Langdon, was dying. Sam and Livy took the ten-hour trip to be at her side in Elmira.