Day By Day Dates

August 24 Wednesday – Chatto & Windus wrote to Sam forwarding “an official letter from the Inland Revenue Department” assessing an income tax on his English book profits. Sam did not receive this notice until Sept. 19. See that entry for his reply.

August 25 Thursday – Webster & Co. Wrote to Sam that “unless we hear from you to the contrary, Mr. Hall will come to Elmira on Tuesday, leaving N.Y. on the 7.55 train Monday” [MTP].

August 26 Friday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, finally getting a good night’s sleep.

I didn’t know I was carrying a load of anxiety, but I suppose I was; for after receiving your letter yesterday evening showing that your & Paige’s estimates went nothing beyond my own, I did not wake at 6 or 7 this morning, as usual, but slept through several interruptions till 11.30 [MTP].

Check #  Payee  Amount  [Notes]

August 27 Saturday – In Elmira Sam answered advice from Franklin G. Whitmore, with a two-line note. Sam wouldn’t sell some bonds as he’d contemplated, and told Whitmore that his “judgment is correct” [MTP].

August 29 Monday – Sam wrote to an unidentified man, who evidently reported that someone else printed Sam’s words.

August 30 Tuesday – Frederick J. Hall came to Elmira to discuss Webster & Co. Projects with Sam. They agreed upon a schedule of production for future books [MTNJ 3: 311n32].

August 31 Wednesday – Pratt & Whitney’s bill for Paige’s work in August was $1,567.23 [MTNJ 3: 310]. Sam also paid $1,691.82 for miscellaneous related expenses for the month, which included the dynamo development and drawings for the patent application. He also paid Paige his salary of $583.33. The total $3,842.38 [n30].

September – Brander Matthews’ article “An Open Letter to Close a Correspondence” in the New Princeton Review this month would elicit a response with from Sam in the same publication [Neider, MT As I Find It 217n]. See January, 1888.

Sam’s notebook entry:

Anna Keary novels Jennettte’s Home, Castle Bailey, & others. McMillan / Next Door, by Clara Louise Burnham [MTNJ 3: 316; Gribben 115; NB 27 TS 13].

September 1 Thursday – From Sam’s notebook:

Sept. 1 ’87. Two [books] in a year & a half. Loss upon the one, $32,000; profit on the other, $15,000. Expenses, $30,000. Net loss, $17,000 [MTNJ 3: 310&n31].

September 2 Friday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall, his man at Webster & Co. He was concerned about deadlines given for the Beecher biography and wanted them telegraphed that they must have the manuscript by Sept. 20.

September 3 Saturday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore about a bill received which he perceived was a “mere legal formality” — probably from Pratt & Whitney Co., which was now full speed ahead building the new Paige typesetter. Whitmore should “file it away” [MTP].

September 5 Monday – Sam may have gone to Hartford for a few days because letters of this date and Sept. 7 are marked as such. His last trip back to Hartford included a meeting with Paige and Hamersley and Whitmore, probably on typesetter progress and strategy. He also probably conferred with Charles H.

September 6 Tuesday – Alfred P. Burbank telegraphed to Sam: “I am rehearsing the Claimant to appear in Syracuse and Rochester next week three nights each and have drawn on Whittemore [sic] for eight hundred dollars. Is this all right. Wire me care Lotos Club” [MTP].

Franklin G. Whitmore wrote Sam a listing of Aug. expenses totaling $1,691.82 [MTP].

Check #  Payee  Amount  [Notes]

3809  H.C. Gas Co  32.48

September 7 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Elisha M. Van Aken:

 “Dear Sir / You are forgiven!” [MTP]. See Sept. 5 from Van Aken, photographer.

September 8 Thursday – In Elmira Sam wrote an answer to Alfred P. Burbank that was labeled “UNMAILED ANSWER.” On Sept. 11 Burbank referred to a telegram received on Sept. 9. Sam wrote a few unmailed answers that reflected a particularly prickly mood. For the other see next letter this date.

Alas & alas & alas, have I gone & harnessed-up with another man who doesn’t know anything about business? [MTP].

September 9 Friday – Franklin G. Whitmore wrote to Sam in Elmira about completing certain domestic tasks, probably discussed on his Sept. 5 trip to Hartford.

September 10 Saturday – In Elmira Sam wrote to President Grover Cleveland requesting consideration for Mr. E.P. Crane, of Rutherford, N.J., certified to me by relatives of mine in whose judgment & truth I have confidence [for] the post of Consul at Stuttyard, which he hears is about to become vacant by resignation [MTP]. Note: This might be a relative of brother-in-law Theodore Crane, or someone his sister Pamela Moffett recommended.

September 11 Sunday – Alfred P. Burbank wrote to Sam (clipping enclosed on the Claimant play opening at New Brunswick). “I received your kind and thoughtful telegram day before yesterday but did not respond as Mr. Whittmore [sic] had promptly honored my draft [for $800].” Burbank wrote he thought they “had struck pay dirt” with the play [MTP].

September 12 Monday – During the last day in Elmira Sam wrote for himself and Livy to Dora Wheeler, who had invited them to “another charming holiday” in the Catskills (see Aug. 25, 1885 in vol I).

September 13 Tuesday – In the morning the Clemens family left Elmira for New York City, where they stayed at the Murray Hill Hotel [to Wheeler Sept. 12]. Before leaving, Sam telegraphed William H. Gillette in New York (see Sept. 15 reply); message not extant.

From Sam’s notebook: Sept.13, in back $21,000, & everything paid for [MTNJ 3: 324].

September 14 Wednesday – This is the day Sam wrote Whitmore he’d leave Elmira (see Aug 18), but Sam’s letter of Sept. 8 to Hall confirms he would “look in” at Webster & Co. On this morning, so that the family probably left Elmira the day before.

Alfred P. Burbank telegraphed Sam: “Will you come to Rochester for tomorrow nights performance I want to talk of future disposition of the play” [MTP].

September 15 Thursday – William H. Gillette, at this time appearing at New York’s Star Theatre in a Civil War drama, Held by the Enemy, wrote to Sam:

Only rec. your telegram on arrival at theatre last night — 8 p.m. — too late to send up. I stationed a man at door who said he knew you — but he did not — for he came back and reported that you had not arrived. Sorry not to have had the pleasure of sending seats for the family [MTNJ 3: 318n53].

September 16 Friday – The Clemens family left New York and returned home to Hartford [Sept. 10 telegram to Whitmore].

F.L. Totten wrote from N.Y. to Sam (clipping enclosed of a poem and a sketch of Will Carleton), asking him to send him a list of “all your works with financial results” for a collection of sketches he was writing of prominent men. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Refer him to Chas. Bolton’s book — get his stuff there” [MTP].

September 17 Saturday – This was the date Sam told Whitmore he’d be back in Hartford (see Aug.17), but the family actually arrived the day before [Sept. 10 telegram to Whitmore].

September 18 Sunday – Alfred P. Burbank wrote to Sam. Trial performances of Colonel Sellers as a Scientist to small audiences in Rochester and Syracuse had received poor reviews from newspapers there. Still, Burbank was optimistic. He invited Sam to attend a Sept.