March 9 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Livy about his love for her, the up-coming trip to California, and the wisdom of “sowing oats” early in life, etc. Sam had thought it over and spoken with Rev.

March 10 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Livy and her brother [MTL 3: 158]. Before leaving Hartford, Sam discovered that the directors of the American Publishing Co. wanted out of the contract to publish Innocents Abroad. When Elisha Bliss threatened to publish it on his own after Sam had threatened suit, the board of directors relented and Bliss went forward with the book, which would not appear until July.

March 12 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Livy.
I am not all afraid of the Hookers, now—dine there tonight. Woe! WOE! WOE! you blessed little rascal!….P.S.—I go to Boston to-morrow, at Nasby’s request, to spend two days with him & the literary lions of the “Hub.” Monday night I leave there for New York—lecture Tuesday in Newtown, & the—very—next—evening, I spurn the U.S. Mail & bring my kisses to my darling myself! [MTL 3: 161-5].

March 13 Saturday – In Hartford, Sam wrote at midnight on Mar. 12-13, again to Livy. “Had a really pleasant time at Mrs. Hooker’s last night, Twichell & I” [MTL 3: 173].
He also wrote a short note to Horatio C. King and John R. Howard of Beecher’s Plymouth Church, declining their offer to lecture in New York, informing them that it was too late since “he must make ready for a short visit to California.”

March 14 Sunday – Sam met Oliver Wendell Holmes and other literary lights of Boston. He was accompanied by David Ross Locke (Petroleum V. Nasby) who had been lecturing in Boston [MTL 3: 174; MTPO notes Sept. 30 O.W. Holmes].

March 15 Monday – After Boston socializing, Sam left for New York City in the evening [MTL 3: 174].

March 16 Tuesday – Sam stopped at New York Tribune to discuss more articles for the newspaper. Sam gave his “Vandals” lecture in Newtown, New York, on Long Island [MTL 3: 174]. He left New York for Elmira.

March 17 Wednesday – John Russell Young, editor of the Tribune, gave or sent Sam an extract from a San Francisco Evening Bulletin article about the importation of Chinese women for prostitution. Young asked Sam to pen a response, and it is likely he did so within a day or two [MTL 3: 174]. Sam arrived in Elmira in the evening.

March 18 Thursday – Sam was a guest of the Langdons, who were entertaining a well-known guest, Wendell Phillips, former abolitionist and social reformer. Phillips gave a lecture in the evening at the Elmira Opera House on Daniel O’Connell, Irish political leader. During his visit, Sam had said something derogatory about Phillips for which he expressed embarrassment to Livy in the margin of Oliver Wendell Holmes’ Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table. This book he was marking for Livy would afterward be known as their “courting book” [MTL 3: 174-5].

March 19 or 20 Saturday – Sam left Elmira and traveled to Sharon, Pennsylvania, where he gave his “Vandals” lecture, which he called a “grand success” [MTL 3: 175].

March 21 Sunday – Sam returned to Elmira, where he continued proofing Innocents Abroad with Livy.

March 24 Wednesday – The Sharon Times reported that Sam was “about to issue a work of some six hundred pages, ‘The Innocents Abroad, or the New Pilgrim’s Progress’.” The notice confirms that by this time Sam had decided on the new title for the book [MTL 3: 175].

March 25 Thursday – Sam wrote in Livy’s copy of Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table,

Midnight March 25, 1869—I wish “Even Me” to be sung at my funeral.

March 26? Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to his mother and family, more on desire to help Orion, and Sam’s indecision as to his plans—possibly a trip to California in May. Should he lecture on the circuit next season? Join Nasby on the Toledo Blade? [MTL 3: 177-8]. Sam hadn’t decided what to do.

March 30 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Elisha Bliss, advising that he’d sent the proofs of Innocents Abroad. Sam suggested several titles for the book [MTL 3: 178-9]. He finished the letter of Mar. 9 to Susan L. Crane, filling the letter with personal goings-on in the Langdon clan [MTL 3: 180-4].

March 31 Wednesday – Sam paid $23 to his tailor, Cyrus Fay. Perhaps Sam figured he would lecture after all, and would need new clothes. Sam and Livy, in Elmira, began a letter to Mary Mason Fairbanks that he finished on Apr. 1. The March 31 portion:

Dear Mother—

April 1 Thursday – At Quarry Farm Sam finished the Mar. 31 letter to Mary Mason Fairbanks. 

April 2–9 Friday – Sam and Livy worked on the proofs during the day, and socialized with friends and family in the evenings. They played euchre, sang hymns, and undoubtedly swapped great heaps of sweet nothings.

April 10 Saturday – Sam wrote a note from Elmira to Elisha Bliss, dating it “April Something, 1869”—details of the book proofs. The same day (nearly identical dateline as the letter to Bliss) Sam wrote to his sister Pamela, enclosing one of Livy’s letters in order to better acquaint her with the family [MTL 3:189-90].

Sam’s article, “Mr. Beecher and the Clergy” ran in the Elmira Advertiser [Camfield, bibliog.].

April 12 Monday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Mary Mason Fairbanks and sent her comic characterizations (from Ch. 23 of Innocents Abroad) of several saints “by the old masters” [MTL 3: 190-2]. The Langdon’s dinner guests that night probably included Anna E. Dickinson (1842-1932), celebrated reformer [MTL 3: 192n2].

April 14 Wednesday – Elisha Bliss wrote to Sam.

Friend “Mark. T”

Yours recd. Glad the “picters” suit—Have got a pile more doing. The Spires are a full page cut & not yet done—will appear in due season. Shall have 16. full page cuts –– I like “Innocents abroad” & also “Crusade of the Innocents” both are good. Keep up a d—l of a thinking & may-be (it is about time for them) you will get something better if not either will do.—

April 15 Thursday – In Elmira Sam wrote again to Elisha Bliss.

“It is a readable book, I know—because I wrote it myself” [MTL 3: 194].

He also wrote to Mary Mason Fairbanks about his failed attempts to buy an interest in the Cleveland Herald, and his subsequent negotiations with the Hartford Courant [MTL 3: 195-6].

April 20 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Elisha Bliss. “…I don’t like to trust your man,” Sam wrote, about proofreading errors at Bliss’ company. Sam wrote and crossed out: “He is an idiot—& like all idiots, is self-conceited.” Sam returned another section of proofs with this letter [MTL 3: 197-8]. Note: Sam often crossed out sentiments but left them visible to the reader.

April 24 Saturday – James Redpath wrote from Boston to Sam:

Dear Sir—I was very sorry that I failed to see you when in Boston; but next time I hope to have better luck.

April 29 Thursday – Still concerned the book would be too long, Sam suggested in a letter written in Elmira to Elisha Bliss that certain sections could be “snatched out” [MTL 3: 199-203].