October 11 Sunday – Mrs. Elisha Bliss introduced Sam to Rev. Joseph Hopkins Twichell (1838-1918) at the home of one of Twichell’s congregation [MTL 2: 269n4]. From Paine’s account of the meeting:
He returned to Hartford to look after the progress of his book. Some of it was being put into type, and with his mechanical knowledge of such things he was naturally interested in the process.
October 7 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Edward L. Burlingame about seeing Edward’s father Anson and family in New York and about the Treaty article which appeared in the Tribune.
October 5–30 Friday – In Hartford, sometime between these dates, Sam wrote a sort of riddle to Frank Fuller:
“If a man were to signify however which he was not & could not if he had the power, which being denied him he will endeavor anyhow, merely because it don’t, would you? I should think not” [MTL 2: 260].
October 4–5 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Livy, about fearing he “unsettled Mrs. Fairbanks’ mind, somewhat, concerning her Elmira visit” on account of the health of Jervis Langdon.
October 2 Friday ca. – Sam arrived in Hartford and stayed with the Bliss family, where after “two or three days” he wrote Mary Mason Fairbanks.
October – The first appearance of “A Californian Abroad – A Medieval Romance” ran in the Overland Monthly. This piece was later collected in IA [Slotta 15].
September 30 Wednesday ca. – Sam arrived in New York, where he stayed a day, then left for Hartford, probably arriving there about Oct. 2.
September 29 Tuesday – Sam left Elmira for New York. Livy wrote to Alice Hooker: “Mr Clemens spent two days here on the way to Hartford from St. Louis; he intended to remain one day” [Stowe-Day collection per Tenney].
September 28 Monday – As Charles Langdon and Sam started for the train depot they were thrown from the wagon. Charles suffered head cuts and Sam was stunned. The accident delayed Sam’s departure. (Willis claims 3 additional days, but Sam left on Sept. 29 [MTL 2: 256 n2]. (See Sept. 29 entry, also a full account of Sam playing possum in MTA 2: 107-110.)
September 27 Sunday – Sam wrote on Buffalo Express letterhead to unknown gentlemen:
Gentlemen:—
I am going to lecture only a little over half the season, & my present engagements render it impossible for me to go further west than Pittsburgh. Otherwise I would be most happy to profit by your kind invitation.
Very Truly Yours / Samℓ. L. Clemens
Sam arrived in Elmira where he was to stay with the Langdons for a day and a night.