July 16 Friday – In Elmira Sam responded to Frederick J. Hall’s letter of July 15; Sam didn’t need any money until the end of the year, but was concerned about the stability of banks, and feared that “a bank might break on us,” so wanted extra money not needed in Webster & Co., put in Treasury bonds or in a deposit vault. Sam named Mary Fairbanks, Mrs. Jervis Langdon and Susan L.
July 15 Thursday – In Elmira Sam wrote to his sister, Pamela Moffett. He told of almost missing seeing the Moffetts in Chicago and of the comfortable rail trip home. He added a paragraph to soothe Pamela’s sensitive nature:
July 14 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam wrote a short note to Frederick J. Hall. Howells had sent Sam a page from Publishers’ Weekly (XXX, 37-8, July 10, 1886) highlighting a legal opinion by a Federal judge (Hammond) in Memphis involving that a bookseller could not sell books directly to buyers in violation of the original subscription plan of the copyright owner (the book in question was James G.
July 12 Monday – In Elmira at Quarry Farm, Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, his business agent and longtime friend, covering a variety of personal and business matters. The 500 cigars Whitmore sent had arrived; he was glad to hear that William Whitmore, Franklin’s son, was compositing record numbers of ems per hour; Sam agreed Franklin should sell the American Exchange Co.
July 10 Saturday – The Clemens party arrived back in Elmira (See July 12 to Whitmore), the return trip all by rail taking two days, far less than the meandering by steamer across the Great Lakes and down the Mississippi on the outbound legs.
July 9 Friday † – The Clemens party boarded an eastbound train from Chicago. In his July 15 to his sister, Sam wrote of the accommodations:
July 8 Thursday – The Clemens family and Rosa Hay stayed in Chicago for two days at the Richelieu Hotel. This is probably the day Sam was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune. On July 15 Sam would write his sister, Pamela Moffett, about seeing the Moffetts in Chicago, probably nieces of the late William A. Moffett:
July 7 Wednesday – The Clemens party left Keokuk [July 5 to Whitmore] and traveled to Rock Island, Ill. Or Clinton, Iowa where they caught a train to Chicago. Sam’s only entry in his notebook on the trip was the following:
July 5 Monday – In Keokuk, Iowa Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore (who had written June 29), giving him power of attorney to act in a matter of “the music scheme.” Sam informed him that they were leaving Keokuk on July 7 [MTP].
July 4 Sunday – From Susy Clemens’ diary, comes the final entry of the biography of her father, interrupted in mid-sentence. Sam would later remark how this sentence suggested his dead daughter was merely away, would return to finish:
July 4. We have arrived in Keokuk after a very pleasant [Papa 225].