August 3 Tuesday – In Philadelphia, Sam attended a hearing before Judge Butler in U.S. Circuit court. Sam’s New York attorneys, Alexander & Green, argued that a preliminary injunction should be issued to restrain John Wanamaker & Co. of Philadelphia from selling Grant’s Memoirs, on the ground that it was a subscription book and not sold in the book trade [NY Times, Jul 22, 1886 p.3 “Gen. Grant’s Book in Court.”].
August 2 Monday – In New York City, about to leave for Philadelphia, Sam, at the offices of Webster & Co., 42 East 14th on Union Square, wrote to Livy:
Livy darling, I have 8 minutes before leaving for Philadelphia. It was decided by the lawyers that it would be altogether best for me to go to the trial, so of course I go. I telegraphed & also wrote the lady in Middletown [Conn.] my circumstances & that my stay in Philada would probably be several days.
August 1 Sunday – In Lawrence, New York (Long Island), Sam wrote to Livy of his time with the Laffans in their residence:
Livy darling, I am having a divine time here, & am exceedingly glad I came. Have spent an hour & a half in the sea at noon, & we are all going again at 4 pm & finish the day in the water…We undress & dress, at home, then walk down street 300 yards; then wade a ¼ of a mile between two sandbars, & there you are! — splendid beach [MTP].
August – English author William Smith sent Sam an inscribed copy of Morley: Ancient and Modern, London (1886): To S.L. Clemens, Esq./with the Author’s kind regards/Morley, Aug. 1866 [Gribben 650]. (See Oct. 18 to Smith).
July 31 Saturday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam (Webster, in Rome, to Hall July 15 enclosed), asking if he should open a new account with the American Exchange National Bank, as Daniel Whitford had advised. He added, “Everything is going smoothly at the office” [MTP].
July 30 Friday – Sam took the ten-hour train trip to New York City, where he checked into a hotel, took a bath, and wrote to Livy.
I have a note from Laffan [of the NY Sun] asking me to go down [Lawrence, NY on Long Island] & stay over Sunday with him.
Met George Warner in the lobby of the hotel, but only stopped to shake hands with him. [Note: Laffan had a summer residence in Lawrence: NY Times obit Apr. 25, 1912 p.10].
July 29 Thursday – Sam wrote to Thomas W. Knox (letter not extant) inviting him for a drink [Referred to by Knox on Aug. 2].
July 28 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, after receiving news that a competitor typesetter, the Thorne machine (ironically, manufactured in Hartford), had failed. Sam enclosed August checks received.
July 27 Tuesday – The New York Times, p.6, ran a humorous story of Mark Twain and a swindle by a plumber.
DOCTOR, PLUMBER, AND TWAIN.
Hartford Letter to the Boston Saturday Globe.
July 26 Monday – Jean Clemens’ sixth birthday.
In Elmira Sam had received a letter (not extant) from Koto House. Livy had forgotten to send measurements (for a dress?) and Sam apologized for her. “We are hoping the dress will get here in time, to-day.” Sam remarked on the universal characteristics of teenagers: