Life in Buffalo: Day By Day

July 10? Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira asking his lecture agent, James Redpath, to “puff” Thomas Fitch, Congressman from Nevada. Sam saw Fitch on July 6 in Washington and encouraged him to lecture. Redpath used such testimonials in his lecture tour literature. Sam then dropped Fitch a note about the testimonial.

July 15 Friday – Elisha P. Bliss had arrived in Elmira and signed a contract with Sam for a book of Sam’s Western adventures to be completed by Jan. 1, 1871. Sales on Innocents were booming and Bliss wanted to tie Sam up for future books.

July 16 Saturday – A brief biography of Sam ran in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper [The Twainian, Feb. 1940, p.7]. Budd calls this “The first biographical sketch meant to be serious” [Our MT 45].

July 17 Sunday – George W. Cable (1844-1925), in his regular column in The New Orleans Picayune, compared Mark Twain and Josh Billings. At this time Cable felt Sam may have “the superior weight of mind,” but was more drawn to Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) [Tenney 3].

July 18 Monday – In Elmira, Sam wrote to Elisha Bliss about details of the new book and the dinner for the 75,000-sale mark of Innocents [MTL 4: 172-3]. Sam also wrote his partner on the Express, Josephus Larned, that Jervis Langdon’s condition had improved and that they now held hope for recovery [MTL 4: 173].

July – In the Galaxy for this month—MARK TWAIN’S MEMORANDA – Included:

“How I Edited an Agricultural Paper Once”
“The ‘Tournament’ in A.D. 1870”
“Enigma”
“Unburlesquable Things”
“The Late Benjamin Franklin”
“The Editorial Office Bore”
“Johnny Greer”
“A Daring Attempt at a Solution of It”
“To Correspondents” [Schmidt].

July 2 Saturday – Sam’s article, “How I Edited an Agricultural Paper Once,” which had appeared in the July Galaxy, was reprinted in the Buffalo Express [McCullough 217].

July 22 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to C.A. King, declining to give a speech or lecture [MTL 4: 174].

July 25 Monday – Sam telegraphed Josephus Larned, again saying that Jervis Langdon continued to improve [MTL 4: 174]. Sam’s article, “THE EUROPEAN WAR,” which was a spoof of journalistic exuberance, was printed in the Buffalo Express [McCullough 222].

July 27 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to his mother, Jane Clemens, and family. “We are glad you are all so well satisfied in Fredonia.” Sam wanted his family near, but not too near. He’d been impressed by the “intelligent faces” in Fredonia during a lecture there and recommended the town to his sister Pamela, who rented a Fredonia house right after Sam’s wedding.

July 28 Thursday – Jane Clemens wrote from Fredonia to Sam and Orion, including a newspaper story of the suicide of Dr. Charles A. Pope. “I send you this, for you to see how such a great wise and good man, as Dr Pope left this world….P S Mela [Pamela] says we are all hoping to see you both here soon, when you can leave your father [Jervis] out of danger” [MTP].

July 4 Monday – In Elmira, Sam wrote to Elisha Bliss. Jervis had rallied again, so much so that Sam expected him to get well. Sam disclosed his back and forth with the Appleton Co. and had been expecting Bliss to come up and discuss “books and business.” Sam was still counting on the Adirondack trip with the Twichells [MTL 4: 161-2].

July 5 Tuesday – Sam arrived in Washington, D.C. and began lobbying for passage of the bill.

July 6 Wednesday – Sam wrote at 11:15 PM from Washington, D.C. to Livy:

“Got up at 6…went to several places. Finally, at 9, got a carriage & took Mr. Stewart to the Senate.”

Sam had some successes, got the bill approved in committee, but felt he should stay:

July 7 Thursday – Senate Bill 1025 was reported out of committee, but no further action was taken on it [MTL 4: 168n1].

July 8 Friday – Mathew B. Brady (1823-1896) photographed Sam. Sam wrote at 10:30 PM from Washington to Livy. After summarizing the state of the bill and his dinner companions (Ex-Vice President Hamlin, Senator Pomeroy (1816-1891), Mr. Gardiner G. Hubbard, & Mr. Richard B. Irwin), Sam wrote:

July 9 or 10 Sunday – Sam left Washington and returned to Elmira [MTL 4: 170n1].

June 11 Saturday – Sam wrote a note from Elmira to Ellen White, the family housekeeper to have a carriage ready in Buffalo at “half past eleven tonight—Erie Depot.” The time means that Sam & Livy left Elmira on the 7:07 PM Erie Railway’s “Day Express,” which took four and a half hours to reach Buffalo [MTL 4: 150].

June 12 Sunday – Sam & Livy wrote from Buffalo to Pamela A. Moffett, now living in Fredonia, NY.

We were snatched away suddenly by an urgent call to come to Elmira & help nurse Mr Langdon for a couple of weeks at some Pennsylvania springs he was going to visit. But he decided not to go, & so we simply rested a moment & then hurried back here.

June – In the Galaxy for this month—MARK TWAIN’S MEMORANDA – Included:

“A Couple of Sad Experiences” – (includes The Petrified Man and My Famous Bloody Massacre)
“The Judge’s ‘Spirited Woman’”
“Higgins”
“Hogwash”
“A Literary ‘Old Offender’ in Court with Suspicious Property in His Possession”
“Post-Mortem Poetry”
“Wit-Inspirations of the “Two-Year-Olds”
Short miscellaneous items: “Murphy,” “A Patriarch,” and “Lady Franklin” [Schmidt].

June 19 Sunday – Sam and Livy wrote from Buffalo to Jervis & Olivia Langdon. Jervis had improved somewhat and the newlyweds expected them to visit [MTL 4: 153]. Note: Jervis’ condition must have worsened after this, because they did not make the trip to Buffalo.

June 22 Wednesday – Sam and Livy returned to Elmira to help nurse Jervis Langdon [MTL 4: 155n1]. They took turns at a bedside vigil. Sam took a shift in the middle of the day and from midnight to four in the morning. Livy and sister Susan Crane sat with their father for seven or eight hour stretches, waving a palm-leaf fan over him during the hot summer days [Willis 61].

June 23 Thursday – Female Academy, Buffalo, New York – Commencement Exercises Speech. Clemens wrote the speech, though David Gray (1836-1888), poet and editor of the Buffalo Courier, read it [McCullough 211].

Sam’s article, “MARK TWAIN IN NEW YORK” was printed in the Auburn, California, Stars and Stripes [Fatout, MT Speaks 62].

June 24 Friday – Sam’s article “Buffalo Female Academy” was printed in the Buffalo Express [McCullough 211].

June 25 Saturday – Sam wrote from Elmira to his mother, and sister:

“We were called here suddenly by telegram 3 days ago. Mr. Langdon is very low. We have well nigh lost hope—all of us except Livy.”