July 11 Saturday – Sam replied to the July 7 from his mother, Jane Lampton Clemens.

The new baby’s name is Clara. We had an anxious & sleepless time during some five months before she was born, trying to decide upon a name for her. We finally chose the name Henry, & were at peace. Till she was born. Then of course we had the same old suffering all over again. (In truth, Susie was named Henry before she was born) [MTL 6: 184].

July 8 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam replied to the June 28 of Thomas Bailey Aldrich about the family’s health, revisions he’d made on Aldrich’s book, Howell’s father, William Cooper Howells (1807-1894) (Sam mistakenly wrote “son”) being appointed consul at Quebec, and his hope to take possession of the new house in September, with hope that the Howellses and the Aldriches could help them christen the place [

July 7 Tuesday – In the morning Sam returned to Elmira [MTL 6: 176n1, 183n1]. Sam’s position on the board of directors to the Hartford Accident Insurance Co. was confirmed [MTL 6: 172].

Jane Clemens wrote to Sam and Livy.

My dear children

July 6 Monday – Sam’s article, in the form of an advertisement, “A Curious Pleasure Excursion” appeared in the New York Herald. Sam announced he had leased a passing comet and would prepare staterooms in the tail of the comet. “No dogs allowed on board.” The article jabbed several notorious politicians and was widely reprinted [MTL 6: 192n3]. Note: perhaps Sam also wanted to generate publicity for his play on political corruption.

July 4 Saturday – Appleton’s Journal ran “Mark Twain,” an article, mostly biographical, by George T. Ferris (1840-1916). Sam’s humor was described as “so genial, so charged with rich and unctuous [sic] humor, that we forget the lack of finesse and delicacy in its breadth and strength” [Tenney 6].

July 3 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Livy. He rhapsodized about the new house, how the house and barn seem to have grown up “out of the ground…part & parcel of Nature’s handiwork.” So far Livy had spent $47,000 through Perkins, for the building of the unique home [MTL 6: 173].

From Charles E. Perkins’ cash book, Sam’s account: “To po Insurance 60” [Berg collection, NYPL].

July 2 or 3 Friday – Sam wrote a note on the front flyleaf of The Gilded Age, which he presented to William Seaver: “To friend Seaver / from / Mark / Hartford, July ’74 / Some of my errors in this book would have been simply outrageous, but Warner criticised them faithfully & so I re-wrote 200 pages of my MS & cooled the absurdities down to a reasonable temperature. / S.L.C.” [MTL 6: 172].

July 1 Wednesday – Livy wrote to her husband of the domestic scene at Quarry Farm.

Darling Youth—

Did you send the money for our gas bill to Mary Burton? If you see her will you tell her that we shall probably not want the carriage for Susie—

June 30 Tuesday – In Newport, Vermont, on the way to get his father settled as American consul at Quebec, William Dean Howells wrote between connections to Sam:

June 29 Monday – Sam left for a quick trip to Hartford, primarily to inspect the progress of the new house. He first went to New York City, where he stayed at the St. Nicholas Hotel for two and possibly three nights before traveling on to Hartford. Sam probably spent time with John Hay and William A. Seaver, whom he’d promised to visit.