August 8 Monday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Franklin Whitmore. He complained of lumbago from “Carrying Jean up & down in the car, on that red-hot 12 hour trip.” He told of Jean’s whimpering and of Susy and Clara’s stoicism during the ordeal.
August 7 Sunday Livy wrote from Elmira to Hattie Gerhardt, and Sam added “God be wi’ ye!” at the end. The letter was about their “long and very tiresome trip from the sea side to Quarry Farm; of baby Jean and her preference for her father; and admonitions for Karl Gerhardt not to work too hard; and an inquiry if they’d seen Mrs. Warner, who evidently was visiting the Continent [MTP].
August 6 Saturday – Sam telegraphed from Elmira to Franklin Whitmore.
“BROKE AN AXLE EIGHT HOURS FROM NEW YORK AND TWENTY FIVE MILES FROM HOME LAY STILL & ROASTED TWO HOURS REACHED HOME AT NINE, PM EVERYBODY IS BRIGHT AND WELL TODAY” [MTP]
August 5 Friday – Based on Sam’s telegram of Aug. 6, this is the likely day for the 10-hour train trip from New York to Elmira, this time taking an extra two hours
August 4 Thursday – The Clemens family left the Montowese House in Branford, Conn. headed to Elmira with a stop in Hartford to do a few errands [MTNJ 2: 396n135]. Likely the day the Clemens family went to New York City. As was their custom, they probably stayed the night in a good hotel and continued on to Elmira the next day.
August 2 Tuesday – Sam wrote to Herbert M. Laurence in Venice, letter not extant but referred to in Laurence’s Aug. 26 reply
August 1 Monday – Sam wrote from Branford to Benjamin H. Ticknor, partner along with his brother Thomas Ticknor in J. Osgood & Co.
“We go hence to Elmira, N.Y., three days from now, and that will be my address for the following six weeks.”
August – Sam followed with interest the debate in the August issue of North American Review between Jeremiah S. Black and Robert Green Ingersoll, titled “The Christian Religion.” Ingersoll held views Sam admired privately, but was unable to proclaim publicly. Sam wrote to Ingersoll:
“I have been well entertained by your theological article in the magazine, and Judge Black’s ludicrous ‘reply’ to it” [Schwartz 185]
July 31 Sunday – Sam wrote from Branford to Karl and Hattie Gerhardt, encouraging the couple to “climb along & enjoy” the “upgrade” of life, while “the morning is fair & the landscape gracious before you” [MTP].
Hubbard & Farmer bankers & brokers sent a statement of acct., $24,159.81 credit [MTP].
Charles Dudley Warner wrote to Sam that he was sending him an agent, Mr. Lester’s sister [MTP]
July 30 Saturday – Sam received proofs of 150 of the engravings for P&P [MTP letter July 31 to Gerhardt].
Charles E. Norton wrote to Sam: “The village rejoices at the news of your coming; the people are reckless of the consequences. The day fixed for the festival is August 25th”. He gave directions [MTP]