November 5 Monday – All was not well at Webster & Co., even after the resignation of Charles Webster. Arthur H. Wright wrote two letters to Sam, one of which was marked “CONFIDENTIAL”:

There are a number of points which it would be well for us to talk about at your earliest convenience, which are of great importance to you and should be investigated at once.

November 4 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Will Bowen, old Hannibal friend, relating his reflections of the previous evening at a wedding. Sam then wished Bowen could have stayed longer, and the next time to bring his wife along. The Bowens had just lost a child and the others were sick. Sam comforted his old friend, touching on the pain of his own loss of a son:

November 3 Saturday – In Hartford Sam received a letter from Will Bowen (evidently lost) just as he was

November 2 Friday – It’s not clear whether Sam and Livy had been in New York since Oct. 25, but more likely is that they returned to Hartford by Saturday Oct. 27, and that Sam then returned to the City by this day when he wrote a short letter to Edmund C. Stedman. Not quoted from the letter is that Sam returned to Hartford by the 4 p.m. train after visiting the Cranes, who were still in New York. Stedman wrote Sam on Oct.

November 1 Thursday – From Sam’s notebook:

November – This month’s issue of Scribner’s Magazine carried excerpts from the Personal Memoirs of P.H. Sheridan, but without the footnote agreed to the previous August, giving Webster & Co. credit for the work. Sam’s notebook:

Scribner gives us no credit. Why? [MTNJ 3: 429n74].

October 31 Wednesday – Virgil A. Pinkley for College of Music of Cincinnati wrote to Sam sending a copy of their new work, Essentials of Elocution and Oratory as thanks for permitting him “to choose so freely from your compositions.” Sam wrote, “No Answer” on the envelope [MTP].

October 30 Tuesday – Sam gave a speech at a Mugwump political rally, Allyn Hall, Hartford. The speech was reported and summarized in Hartford Courant, October 31, 1888, p.8 “Mugwumps in Council.”

Frederick J. Hall for Webster & Co. wrote to Sam arguing for a meeting in N.Y., not in Hartford as Sam evidently asked, for the reason that Daniel Whitford needed to be there [MTP].

October 29 Monday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam asking for a meeting with Sam and the Webster & Co. attorney, Daniel Whitford to discuss business matters including the status of Charles Webster, scheduled to return to work on Apr. 1, 1889 [MTNJ 3: 430]. Webster’s interest would be purchased for $12,000 (see Dec. 31, 1888).

October 28 Sunday – Orion Clemens wrote thanks for his monthly $155 check [MTP].