Day By Day Dates

July 12 Friday – Sam wrote from New Saybrook to Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, inquiring about the cost of a Gatling gun, possibly for John Henry Riley [MTL 5: 118].

James Redpath wrote to Sam.

July 13 Saturday – Thomas A. Kennett of Noyes & Kennett bankers & brokers, NYC, wrote to advise Sam “The next payment is due August 7th as follows: Principal $2500 / 1 yr 7% on $5000  350/” totaling $2,850 [MTP]. Note: this bill on the purchase of the Buffalo Express.

July 15 Monday – A translation into French of The Jumping Frog, along with discussions of IA and RI, by Therese Bentzon ran in the French publication, Revue des Deux Mondes [Tenney 4].

July 16 Tuesday – Thomas P. “Pet” McMurry boyhood pal of Sam wrote from Colony, Mo.

July 17 Wednesday – Bills paid: to W.B. Willard, flour & grain dealer, $5.20; to M. Barrett 157.13 for white organdy dress, silk, ribbon, linings & sundries & packing box [MTP].

July 18 Thursday – Sam wrote from New Saybrook to James Redpath, replying to his letter of July 12.

July 19 Friday – Charles Dudley Warner wrote from Hartford to Sam

July 20 Saturday – Sam wrote a short note from New Saybrook to Elisha Bliss, saying he’d been looking for Harte and would let Bliss know when he arrived. Sam also asked about Henry C. Lockwood of Baltimore, and the elastic strap patent [MTL 5: 124].

July 21 Sunday – Sam wrote from New Saybrook to Joseph L. Blamire of Routledge & Sons, sending revised preface. Blamire had encouraged Sam to travel to England, especially in the summer [MTL 5: 128].

July 22 Monday – Bill paid: Moore, Weeks & Co., Hartford for cases condensed milk $12.50 [MTP].

Joseph Graef sculptor, wrote from NYC to Sam after hearing through Slote that Clemens was contemplating having a marble bust of a child made [MTP].

July 23 Tuesday – Anna E. Dickinson wrote to Sam for publishing help and advice with Elisha Bliss. She wouldn’t do the book for less than $10,000 guarantee at the royalty of 7 & ½ % [MTP].

July 24 Wednesday – Bill paid to Lowell & Bright Engravers & Stationers 228 Washington St., Boston for custom stationery $47.50 [MTP].

Henry H. Clements wrote from Jersey City NJ to thank Sam “for the expression of interest manifested in our note just received.” Henry was digging into the family tree to find a common ancestor with Twain [MTP].

July 25 Thursday – Bill dated June 3 was paid to G.W. Woolley & Son, mfrs. of burial caskets and coffins, 175 Main St., Hartford, for supplying a covered casket, satin-lined for $50 for Langdon [MTP].

In Morristown, New Jersey, Bret Harte wrote to Sam shortly after the birth of Harte’s first daughter, Jessamy Harte. Like Sam, Harte found it difficult to write in a house with a crying baby.

July 26 Friday – Joseph L. Blamire for Routledge & Sons wrote to Sam: “In your letter of 21st inst. you say you propose to spend your ‘Winter either in the rural part of England or in Cuba & Florida.” He hoped Sam would choose the former [MTP].

July 27 Saturday – Henry H. Clements wrote again from Jersey City, NJ to advise more of the genealogical records he had found [MTP].

July 28 Sunday – Sam wrote from New Saybrook to Elisha Bliss. Sam planned to be in Hartford “about Aug. 1t. Will copyright returns be ready?” He continued to try to bring Harte together with Bliss, asking about rooms for Harte and family in Mt. Holyoke [MTL 5: 133]. Note: Bliss replied July 31.

July 29 Monday – A.S. Hale for Virtue & Yorston, NYC publishers & booksellers wrote to ask for a writing sample to be put in a collection with others [MTP].

July 30 Tuesday – Sam wrote a short note from New Saybrook to Mollie concerning arrival of goods needed. “All flourishing,” he wrote [MTL 5: 136].

Bill of July 29 paid to Flower & Hills, grocers $7.05 [MTP].

July 31 Wednesday – Elisha Bliss replied to the July 28 from Clemens.

Friend Clemens, / Yours at hand.

Will make up copyright a/c right away. Will take two or three days to get books posted up—then all ready, dont come for that time—How about Harte’s book. Can you give me any light on the subject? Has he been at Saybrook? He wrote me, that after hearing from you I should probably hear from him, but no word yet. Am a little anxious to know, so as to shape my course for operations

August 2 Friday – Sam wrote another short note from New Saybrook to Mollie, again about household needs [MTL 5: 137].

Sam wrote from New Saybrook to Joseph L. Blamire of Routledge & Sons, letter not extant but referred to in Blamire’s of Aug. 6.

August 5 Monday – Sam telegraphed from Saybrook Point, Conn. to Mollie Clemens for her to send a carriage to the Hartford depot “about 10 this morning.” The reason for Sam’s trip back to Hartford is unknown [MTL 5: 137-8]. Sam probably returned to New Saybrook (Saybrook) the same day.

August 6 Tuesday – Sam wrote from New Saybrook to Charles M. Underhill (1839-1924), a general salesman for an affiliate of the J. Langdon & Co. Theodore Crane had informed Sam that his annual payment to Thomas A. Kennett was due with interest (Sam still owed $5,000 of the initial $25,000 for the one-third interest in the Buffalo Express).

August 7 Wednesday – Sam wrote from New Saybrook to Elisha Bliss, acknowledging payment of $8,485.17 in royalties. Sam had finalized plans to sail for England “in 10 or 12 days to be gone several months.” He also related writing “strongly to Anna Dickinson,” the suffrage reformer who was trying to swing a book deal with Bliss but was holding out for a $10,000 guarantee.

August 8 Thursday – Sam telegraphed from Saybrook Point to Mollie Clemens, asking her to “stir up that infernal Steam Laundry” [MTL 5: 141]. He also sent Mollie a short note and a check for the E.C.C. Kellogg Co. for the prowler bell he’d ordered installed at the Forest Street Hartford house. “All well. I am going to England in a week from now” [MTL 5: 142].

August 9 Friday – Joseph L. Blamire for Routledge & Sons, NYC wrote to Sam having rec’d his of Aug. 7, encouraging him to go to England early in September, when he might “see a good deal of country life, before the folks begin to return to Town.” He recommended the Cunard steamship line [MTP].