July 16 Thursday – Sam’s response, “On Training Children,” to the article, “What Ought He to Have Done” was reprinted in The Christian Union (see June 11 entry). Note: This is sometimes given as the first printing. Also ran in August issue of Babyhood, p. 275-6.
Robert U. Johnson for Century Magazine about Sam’s help in the copyright effort; Gen. Grant’s name on the list would help the effort [MTP].
July 15 Wednesday – Livy wrote in her diary that she and her children were “reading together” Grace Aguilar’s (1816-1847) The Days of Bruce; A Story from Scottish History (1834). Livy added the girls enjoyed it “very much,” and Clara Clemens later remembered it as one of their favorite books. Sam may have read this to his girls also.
July 14 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to William F. Cody (“Buffalo Bill”).
I have now seen your Wild West show two days in succession, enjoyed it thoroughly. It brought back to me the breezy, wild life of the Rocky mountains, and stirred me like a war song.
Sam felt the show was genuine and suggested he take it to England, where “it is said the exhibitions …are not distinctly American” [MTP].
July 13 Monday – Charles Webster wrote of business matters & details [MTP].
July 12 Sunday – Pamela Moffett wrote from Kinsgburg, Calif. about the letter she’d sent and her son’s concerns about it; the letter they’d both written him. Her son was upset thinking Sam would take his troubles with locusts as a plea for help [MTP].
July 12 to 13 Monday – Sam was in New York, where he saw “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” show “two days in succession” [July 14 to Cody].
July 11 Saturday – Sam wrote a short note from Elmira to Orion. Evidently Mollie had suggested a pension for Puss Quarles Greening, rather than a thousand dollar investment in a Kansas hotel. Sam offered to have Webster set one up and send money to her monthly. “I hate complications,” Sam wrote [MTP]. (See June 26 entry.)
July 9 Thursday – In Elmira Clemens wrote to Henry M. Stanley.
July 8 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to John C. Black, Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D.C. Sam received a June 29, 1885 letter from Black that a pension application had been denied on June 23 [Brooklyn Eagle, July 17, p6]. Sam responded:
July 7 Tuesday – Orion Clemens wrote about a letter from Puss, who was anxious to go; the doctor advised a steamboat; plans to go to Hannibal; Puss feared she could not repay a loan [MTP].
July 6 Monday – Sam wrote from Elmira to the editor of the Boston Herald, which had run an article Sam felt was damaging to his and Gen. Grant’s character and “untrue in spirit,” an article that accused Sam of leading Grant to break an understanding with the Century. “I want to ask for fair play—only fair play, nothing more,” Sam began. There was no understanding with the Century.