March 28 Tuesday – Donn Piatt of the Galaxy replied to Clemens:
My dear fellow / Your letter is perfectly safe in my hands—stop to make it so I have just put it in the stove altho’ I wished to retain a confidential letter written by one I like and admire much as I do you
I am very glad to hear that your dear wife is convalescent and I hope with you that she will soon be well.
March 27 Monday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Donn Piatt, who was negotiating with the Church brothers to replace Sam’s “Memoranda” in the Galaxy. Piatt had asked and Sam had unloaded his frustrations on the Church’s, but then sent this letter to smooth things over. The April edition carried Mark Twain’s final article [MTL 4: 369-70].
March 24 Friday – Joe Goodman arrived in Elmira for a visit. He would stay several months. He wrote along side Sam and critiqued the California Book (Roughing It) [MTL 4: 379n2]. Joe was a Godsend. He gave Sam positive reinforcement on the work just when Sam, after such a difficult year, doubted its worth.
March 23 Thursday – On or about this day John Henry Riley wrote to Sam on 19 pages on fragile yellow paper about his travels, beginning Jan. 7, 1871 from NYC for Liverpool, his time in London, then to the Cape on Feb. 19, with people, places & events along the way [MTP].
March 22 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Isaac E. Sheldon. Letter not extant but referred to in Sheldon’s Apr. 4. See entry.
March 20 Monday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Elisha Bliss and Orion Clemens. Sam included a contribution for the American Publisher, “The Old-Time Pony-Express of the Great Plains.”
“We are all here, & my wife has grown weak, stopped eating, & dropped back to where she was two weeks ago. But we’ve got all the help we want here” [MTL 4: 367-8].
March 18 Saturday – With Livy’s improvement, Sam & wife traveled to Quarry Farm, the home of Theodore and Susan Crane, Livy’s adopted sister.
March 17 Friday – Sam wrote from Buffalo to Elisha Bliss. After notifying Bliss that he was taking Livy to Elmira the next day, Sam wrote:
March 15 Wednesday – Sam wrote a short note from Buffalo to his mother and family. “Livy sits up 2 hours at a time, but can’t walk yet” [MTL 4: 361].
Sam also wrote Redpath offering to lecture in the Northeast for $150, but for not less than $250 in Boston. He asked for confidentiality on the matter [362].
March 14 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Buffalo to Susan Crane about Livy’s improving condition, the hiring of a wet nurse, card playing and baby Langdon—“the cubby is not well” [MTL 4: 358-9]. Sam also wrote Mary Mason Fairbanks with much the same information [360].