August – At Quarry Farm in Elmira, N.Y. Sam inscribed his photograph with an aphorism to an unidentified person: “It is never too late to mend. There is no hurry. / Truly Your friend / Mark Twain ‘ New York, August 1908” [MTP].

August or September – In N.Y.C. Sam wrote to daughter Clara in Elmira.

Dear Ben, I expect to beat this letter home, but I don’t know yet.

I want to say this, in your private ear: there is a person who is counting on your being in Paris next winter studying music, & who is also counting on using you & assuming matronship over you for social purposes. I hope you are not going to Paris at all.

On the street this morning Mr.—I forget the name—accosted me & walked with me a little way—a teacher of yours, I think—Ruloo or Rudolph, maybe—& is going to give you letters to useful people in Paris (where I hope you won’t be). He will deliver them to you here at the Gross Vinneer.

Please ask Jean to write & say to that magazine that I will try to sit for that portrait-sketch when we are here in October.

There is a little black-&-white kitty on the yacht, now, just Riley’s size.

I saw Joe Goodman this morning—he is leaving for good in a day or two.

I’ve been to the osteopath this morning.

I’m sending all of you my love, & I beg your mother not to let Miss Sherry go. I wrote no one yesterday—merely sent that telegram [MTP]. Note: Margaret Sherry, Livy’s nurse. The international yacht races ran from Aug. 20 to Sept. 3; Sam’s mention of the kitty on the yacht, was likely a reference to watching the races from Rogers’ yacht, the Kanawha.