June 4 Thursday – Sam, wrote from Hartford to Karl Gerhardt, advising him to tag along with Webster to see General Grant “two or three days in succession” and to observe him in various poses so as to work on a large statue to be presented to the City of New York. Sam hoped for orders of it from other cities.
June 3 Wednesday – In Hartford, Sam wrote to James B. Pond.
“Damn it, we could not get that donkey, after all, & so I hope you will get Homer to rush a gentle small burro to Elmira in a hurry, for Jean, or she will be dreadfully disappointed. We shall arrive there the 18th of June & go up to the farm a few days or a week later” [MTP]. Note: Jean would be five on July 26.
June 2 Tuesday – Orion Clemens wrote: thanks for the $150; his history game research; “Ma is well, and takes lots of exercise”; Mollie was not well [MTP].
Pitts H. Burt wrote from Pittsburg about pottery sent and the thanks of the pottery crew [MTP].
Karl Gerhardt sent a telegram from Mt Vernon, NY: “Eve’s Lullaby has been awarded a diploma of honor by the Jury of fine arts at the New Orleans Exposition ward just received” [MTP].
June 1 Monday – In Hartford, Sam wrote to the Art Society of Hartford, accepting an invitation from the ladies there to give a reading in Unity Hall on the evening of Friday, June 5, and also the afternoon of June 6 [MTP].
June – Sometime during the month, Sam wrote from either Hartford or Elmira to Charles Webster, suggesting the text and layout for business envelopes, which included “Personal Memoires of General Grant” in red ink [MTP].
May 30 Saturday – In Hartford, Sam and Livy wrote to Hattie Gerhardt. Hattie had been ill, so coordinating a visit was the object of this letter, the body by Livy with PS added by Sam.
May 29 Friday – E. Evans wrote a begging letter from London [MTP].
Karl Gerhardt wrote: “Have Woodruff see Mr Green at Tiffany’s. They wish to control the bronze bust—The ‘Courant’ article changed their eyes” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Tiffany wants bust”
Slote, Woodman & Co. wrote sending paper and gum samples “as we understand your description given us yesterday” [MTP].
May 28 Thursday – In Hartford, Sam also wrote to Karl Gerhardt, answering a letter of May 27. Paraphrase: “Answered him with ‘No’—with thanks” [MTP]. From Sam’s notebook:
“May 28—At Western Union building was introduced to Jay Gould & lunched with his son. Damned insignificant looking people” [MTNJ 3: 155-6].
May 27 Wednesday – From New York City, Sam wrote a letter of introduction for Charles Webster to take with him overseas, in the securing of foreign publishers for the Grant book. Although Grant owned the foreign rights to the memoirs, Sam wanted to establish contracts with foreign publishers to protect copyright. This letter was not to any specific person [MTP].
From Sam’s notebook:
May 26 Tuesday – Joel Chandler Harris’ unsigned review of Huck Finn ran in the Atlanta Constitution (p4, cols 2-3) [Griska 585]. In answering those critics who had followed lockstep with the Concord Library’s indictment of the book as “coarse, crude and inartistic,” Harris pointed out the falseness of that view and the true value of the book: