September 10 Sunday – At Clarence C. Rice’s home, Sam woke up feeling “perfectly well this morning,” after having gone to bed early the night before and drinking a “whole bottle of whisky.” Sam wrote on Rice’s New York Medical School letterhead to daughter Clara in Elmira.

You dear, dear old Ben! I’ve been missing you right along, all the time, notwithstanding you didn’t sit in my room but stuck to your own & wouldn’t be persuaded to give me your nearer society; still, you were close by, & that was company & pleasure to me. …

Dr. Rice & I are having sociable bachelor times, & I am most holily glad to be out of that hotel [Murray Hill].

Sam asked her to drop him a line when she was rested [MTP].

Orion Clemens wrote to Sam, acknowledging receipt the day before of his Aug. 27 letter. “We are very sorry to hear that Clara is not well. We hope your visit to this country will be pleasant and profitable.” Orion wrote of his proposal to Fred Hall to hire him as a collector of the firm’s bills, working for the same amount he now received; he’d been collecting for businesses in Keokuk. He also asked Sam not to keep bad news from him [MTP].