July 7 Friday – Sam wrote a short note from Elmira to Orion, directing his brother to sources Sam had used for an article, “Brace of Brief Lectures on Science” [MTL 4: 429].
Elisha Bliss wrote to Clemens:
Dear Clemens, /Thanks for your contributions. I have been sick 10 days, flat on my back, most of the time—& feel hard yet.
July 4 Tuesday – Mollie Clemens wrote from Hartford to Sam, relating how Orion had felt “blue” after receiving a letter from Pamela, though he rallied. “For the first two years or more, I had very little faith in his being able to make the invention work, but my desire has been so great, I have gradually grown into the belief that it will be a success.” She told of their new quarters and obliquely thanked Sam for his money sent enabling them to afford it.
July 2 Sunday – In Elmira, Sam wrote a short note to Orion. Though only about three-quarters done, Sam felt he had enough manuscript to cull from and planned to bring the manuscript to Hartford in “2 to 4 weeks hence” [MTL 4: 427].
July – Sam’s article, “A New Beecher Church,” was printed in the July American Publisher [MTL 4: 440n2]. Sam so inscribed on the flyleaf of Louis Figuier’s Primitive Man, that read: “Saml. L. Clemens, / The Primitive Man” [Gribben 230].
June 29 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Orion, asking if the three articles he’d sent had arrived, begging off on opining on one of Orion’s machine inventions, and news that his lecture engagements would pay $250 in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Brooklyn [MTL 4: 423].
June 28 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to James Redpath. This was another list of particulars, prices, and places that Sam dictated terms about [MTL 4: 419-21].
June 27 Tuesday – Sam wrote two short notes from Elmira to Orion. Sam had written a new lecture that day and wanted Bliss to leave out the talk about the “Suffrage to Boys”. His second note announced he “wrote a third lecture to-day—& tomorrow I go back on the book again.” This last lecture, “Reminiscences of Some Pleasant Characters whom I have Met” was one given later.
June 21 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Elisha Bliss, sending him three articles, “$125 for the lot,” payable to Orion at one-tenth of the $125 per week until paid. He wanted Bliss to mention his upcoming lecture and told him to say this:
June 15 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira to James Redpath. Sam poured cold water on the idea of a woman reading humorous lectures or doing impersonations on stage. Possibly Redpath had received an offer from Helen Potter to tour with Sam. Helen did impersonations of well-known lecturers like John Gough, Henry Ward Beecher, and others [MTL 4: 408-9].
June 13 Tuesday – Francis P. Church of the Galaxy requested an article from Sam, and was rewarded with “About Barbers,” which first appeared in the August edition [MTL 4: 394]. It’s unclear why Sam would accede to such a request, but Church’s approach must have been less insistent than Bliss and Orion’s. Sam sold the piece for $100 [MTL 4: 410].