September 19, 1883 Wednesday

September 19 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to the Mallory brothers, George S. and Marshall H. Mallory.

“You have a contract with Mr. Will Gillette; & I am aware that you are trying (as usual with you) to sneak out of the performance of its conditions. I am personally interested in the mattertherefore I suggest to you couple of piety-mouthing, hypocritical thieves & liars that you change your customary policy this time” [MTP].

September 18, 1883 Tuesday

September 18 Tuesday – Edward Greey (1835-1888) wrote from NYC, appreciative that his “daughter received Sam’s amusing note, which she has placed among her treasures.” Greey sent a bottle of sake and some wine [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Author of a lot of Japanese books”; Also a dealer in Japanese art, and an unusual author who ended things with a bullet.

W. D. Howells wrote:

September 17, 1883 Monday

September 17 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Return I. Holcombe.

“I know of only one steel portrait. It is owned by the American Publishing Co….I enclose the only good photograph I can find” [MTP].

In Boston, Howells wrote to Sam offering critical advice of “1002d Arabian Night” that it was second-rate, “and all the way it skirts a certain kind of fun which you can’t afford to indulge in” [MTHL 1: 442].

September 13, 1883 Thursday 

September 13 Thursday – The Clemens family’s summer stay in Elmira came to an end, as did the most productive season in Sam’s literary career. They traveled to Hartford by way of New York, stopping at the Brunswick Hotel on Fifth Avenue [MTBus 219; MTNJ 3: 27n46]. Sam’s notebook contains a list entitled “People to see in N.Y.” and includes Charles A.

September 12, 1883 Wednesday 

September 12 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster:

“Dear Charley, We shall arrive, tired out, at hotel Brunswick 8.30 tomorrow evening.—Should like to see you five minutes that evening—not before 9, & not after 9.15. After which I will go to bed. Send up card & I will come down stairs. Yrs truly / S L C” [MTBus 219].

September 4, 1883 Tuesday 

September 4 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Orion, enclosing a Aug. 29 request from Return I. Holcombe for information to compile a history of Marion County, Mo. The letter mentioned John Marshall Clemens’ jury service that sent “three Illinois abolitionists” to the penitentiary for twelve years for stealing slaves (see Sept.

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