June 5 Saturday – Press Club Dinner, New York City – A proxy read Sam’s speech “Reliable Contraband” at this event. Sam felt unable to attend. The reason is unknown [Fatout, MT Speaking 38-40].
June 4 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to his mother and family:
“In twelve months (or rather I believe it is fourteen,) I have earned just eighty dollars by my pen – two little magazine squibs & one newspaper letter – altogether the idlest, laziest 14 months I have ever spent in my life.”
June 1 Tuesday – Sam answered a letter from John J. Murphy, the New York agent for the San Francisco Alta California. Sam was still reading proofs, with “several chapters to read yet.” He was of two minds about going to California [MTL 3: 254-5].
May 30 Sunday – Sam’s piece titled “Soundings,” possibly an extract from some earlier article, ran in the Chicago Republican [The Twainian, Sept-Oct 1949 p.5].
May 29 Saturday – In Elmira late, Sam wrote a short note to Livy. This letter was hand delivered. It’s possible the late hour prevented a visit.
May 24 Monday – Sam wrote from South Windsor, Conn. to Livy. He was visiting the Roe family at East Winsdor Hill, about eight miles from Hartford. Sam had known Azel Stevens Roe Jr., from his days out West. Roe Sr. (1798-1886) was a novelist. Roe Jr. had been a voice and music teacher in Virginia City in 1867, and a tutor in San Francisco in 1863.
May 23 Sunday – Sam was in New York City, where he received fifty dollars from a cash account that Charles Langdon was keeping for him [MTL 3: 253n7]. The next day Sam was back in Connecticut.
May 19 and 20 Thursday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Livy. It rained steadily and Sam was in a depressed state, feeling prisoner of a bad cold and being away from his ladylove [MTL 3: 245-9].
May 18 Tuesday – Silas S. Packard paid Sam $25 for “Personal Habits of the Siamese Twins,“ which was published in Packard’s Monthly in August [MTL 3: 230n3]. Sam finished the letter of May 17 to Livy, expressing concern for her health [MTL 3: 243].
May 17 Monday – Sam was in a Livy habit. He started another letter to her from Hartford, finishing the following day [MTL 3: 239-44].