February 9 Monday – R.P. Sawyers wrote from St. Louis to ask Sam about the claim made in RI that the govt. paid $50,000 “as a royalty” for the perforating machine for postage stamps; he’d also read the govt. lost five million a year from people washing and reusing stamps. Could Sam verify these claims? [MTP]. Note: a self-addressed (no stamp) env. is in the file, suggesting Sam did not reply.
February 7 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles B. Andrews (1836-1902), Governor of Conn. Sam enclosed the Feb. 6 letter from “Rev. Mr. Davis” that mentioned the Governor; Sam wished to verify the Governor’s recommendation [MTLE 5: 19]. Note: See Feb. 11 reply from Andrews.
Sam also wrote to Orion.
February 6 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Mary Mason Fairbanks, enclosing a picture of their house made by Dan Slote’s engraving process. Sam denied the rumor that he “coveted a seat in Congress.” Livy was “an invalid again in a small way”; the girls were “well & hearty” [MTLE 5: 18].
Rev. Thomas A. Davis wrote to Clemens. In part:
February 4 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Frank and Elizabeth (“Lil”) Millet, congratulating them on the birth of their first child. “The Clemenses congratulate you heartily, notwithstanding their irritating disappointment—they were hoping it was going to be triplets” [MTLE 5: 17].
February 3 Tuesday – In Boston, Howells wrote to Sam of health of the wives, a sketch sent by Sam and a recent event: “That Tile Club Dinner, I’m told, was great affair: darkies in fezes and yataghans waiting on the guests, and narghiles ad libitum” [MTHL 1: 289].
February – Sam wrote to Frank Fuller, responding to a proposal (not extant).
January 29 Thursday – Mary Keily in Lancaster, Penn. Insane asylum, finished a letter to Sam begun on Jan. 27, asking again for $5 [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “From lunatic”. Note: Mary’s several letters in the files are extremely long, rambling and non-sensical. For the most part they have not been quoted in this volume out of respect for the mentally disturbed.
January 27 Tuesday – Sam wrote a one-liner from Elmira to an unidentified female: “Well, my dear, I won’t forget you if you don’t forget me. That is fair” [MTLE 5: 15].
January 25 Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira to his sister, Pamela Moffett. He told of their plans to return to Hartford, and of his mother-in-law’s stomach ache.
January 24 Saturday – In Elmira, Sam wrote to Howells. Sam asked if he went to the Tile Club dinner in New York.