June 23 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Joe Goodman, once again singing the praises of the Paige typesetter. Sam mentioned the “Silver Bill” which was before Congress and tied up Senator John P. Jones from returning for a final successful exhibition of the machine. Fred Whitmore (Franklin’s son) was now turning out about 6,200 ems per hour on the machine. Sam’s spirits were high, and his faith sure:
June 22 Sunday – Joseph T. Goodman wrote from the Hoffman House, N.Y. to Sam: “Mrs. Goodman concluded to come over to the city and stay for a week or so — or until we knew if Jones is disposed to do anything about the machine. Her health is very poor.” Sam wouldn’t hear from Joe again unless he had something to say about Senator John P. Jones or John W. Mackay, the two big fish they angled for [MTP].
June 21 Saturday ‡ – See Addenda: Sam and Joe Goodman returned from Washington by this day.
June 20 Friday – William J. Hamersley wrote to Sam about a “personal loan” he’d made to Sam and a note from Whitmore regarding it. Hamersley was relying on Sam’s “promise to take care of it sometime next month.” No amount is mentioned but on Apr. 3 Hamersley sent Sam $2,500 [MTP].
June 19 Thursday – Robinson for Collier’s Once a Week (“Fiction Fact Sensation Wit Humor News”) wrote to Sam asking to reprint the “proposal” from GA [MTP].
June 18 Wednesday – ‡ See addenda
June 16 Monday – Orion Clemens finished the June 15 letter:
When I offered to bring Ma down to breakfast this morning she found herself too weak on the left side, and liable to fall. She said she had not use of her left side, from her hip down [MTP].
June 15 Sunday – H.E. Harrington for Mutual Life Ins., N.Y. wrote an estimate to Sam for an “investment policy” [MTP].
Orion Clemens wrote below Ma’s June 10 delusional paragraph to her parents:
Ma wrote this on the 10th. She was excited, nearly crying with joy once the expected reunion of the family. / She is very weak, this afternoon, drooping to the left, and staggering [MTP].
June 14 Saturday – In Washington Sam wrote Livy about the stay in New York with Joe Goodman, the trip down the day before; Joe “has gone to call at Senator Jones’s & make a business appointment” [LLMT 256-7].
James B. Pond wrote from Liverpool, England to Sam:
You have doubtless seen by the papers that I have engaged Stanley, & will begin in N.Y. about Nov. 11, and Boston to follow. Don’t you want to bring Mrs. Clemens to Boston & meet the charming Mrs. Stanley (to be) & introduce Stanley again? [MTP].
June 13 Friday – In the afternoon, Sam and Joe Goodman took the six-hour train trip to Washington, D.C., arriving at night. The pair ate “an enormous supper & went right to bed & to sleep.” Sam wrote to Livy the next day about the trip: