July 16 Thursday – In Elmira, Sam wrote to his 1854 St. Louis roommate, Jacob H. Burrough.

My Dear Jake:

Have just received two papers from your town. Are the Misses Ida & Emma Burroughs any kin to you? And who is Dean?—my old mud clerk comrade?

My boy, don’t you ever come East? I wish you would stop in on us next winter. (We are house-building & shant be well settled till the middle of the fall.)

Why don’t you die?—Are you going to live forever? You must be about 80 or 90 now.

July 15 Wednesday – From Charles E. Perkins’ cash book, Sam’s account: “By cash brot over July 15  By dft on NY  2500.00” [Berg collection, NYPL].

July 14 Tuesday – From Charles E. Perkins ’ cash book, Sam’s account: “To po Mrs. [Samuel] Colt Interest 560.00” [Berg collection, NYPL]. Evidently, Sam had borrowed money from the wealthy widow Colt.

July 13 Monday – From Charles E. Perkins’ cash book, Sam’s account: “To po Taxes for 1874 634.30” [Berg collection, NYPL]. Note: these are likely “town and city” and school taxes on the value of the Hartford house under construction.

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].