October 24 Monday – Sam contracted with the Tiffany & Co. “For the sum of Five Thousand dollars” to cover the ceilings and walls of their library with metal leaf [MTNJ 2: 399-400n149].
Sam wrote to Edward House thanking him profusely for a suggested solution for the baronet error in P&P [MTP].
Sam also wrote two letters to James R. Osgood:
October 22 Saturday – Sam was the guest of the William D. Whitney family in New Haven, Conn., where he spoke on “mental telegraphy” at a meeting of that city’s Saturday Morning Club, a young ladies’ social and cultural group similar to Hartford’s chapter. Sam’s notebook has an entry for Marian P. Whitney, William’s 20-year-old daughter, at 246 Church St., Oct. 22, 12 to 1 PM [MTNJ 2: 359 & n12]. (See also Oct.
October 21 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Edward House about P&P and the delay of his planned visit due to the “unholy decorators” and House’s attack of gout.
“I am mighty glad your first judgment of the book still holds good. The approval of competent minds is the main thing; I strongly want the book to achieve that; that it should sell well is a very much less important matter” [MTP].
October 20 Thursday – Sam and William J. Hamersley traveled to New York and met with Charles Webster at his engraving office [MTBus 171].
October 19 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood about illustrations for P&P, which had been delayed. Sam thought the canvassing book was “mighty handsome” [MTP].
October 18 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster. All of Sam’s prior investment losses in inventions would pale next to the Paige typesetter debacle, which he wrote about:
Mr. Wm. Hammersley, [Hamersley] our City Attorney, will call on you at your Engraving office, at 10 o’clock Thursday morning.
October 17 Monday – Hartford Probate Court sent Sam a printed announcement postcard on the estate of John S. Ives [MTP]
October 16 Sunday – Kate (Kitty) D. Barstow (Mrs. William H. Barstow) wrote from Washington to Sam, who had not heard from her since she “suddenly disappeared from our sky” back in 1870, owing $157.40 for unpaid copies of IA. At that time Sam recommended her to Bliss as an agent for the sale of his books; ultimately he had to reimburse Bliss.
October 15 Saturday – Sam’s July 24 letter to the Australian public, ran in the Adelaide Observer (see July 24 entry).
Sam wrote a short note from Hartford to Orion, that “his entire day” had:
…gone to the devil with answering letters…send us another sack of those big hickory nuts, like those that came a year or so ago [MTP]
October 14 Friday – Sam and Joe Twichell walked out to Talcott’s Tower, a wooden structure about five miles outside of Hartford. Sam related their talk in a letter to Howells the next day: