May 20 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to William A. Seaver, editor of Harper’s. Sam apologized for not stopping by on his one-day foray to New York, but would run through New York on the way to Hartford “by & by” and “then I propose to assemble where there be refreshments, & tackle you” [MTL 6: 149-50].
Elmira in 1874: Day By Day
May 21 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira for a certificate of copyright from Ainsworth R. Spofford, librarian of Congress. Sam enclosed fractional paper currency for fifty cents [MTL 6: 150].
May 22 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Elisha Bliss. Sam had been trying to expedite a book between Edward H. House in Japan and Bliss. Sam asked for a copy of Bliss’ last letter about the Japan book for Sam to send to House.
May 23 Saturday – Sam’s cashbook: “To po Potter Architect [Edward T. Potter] 500.00” [Berg, NYPL].
May 25 Monday – Lawrence Barrett, well known actor, wrote responding to Sam’s mid-May request (not extant) for his offer to play the role of Col. Sellers, or to recommend someone. Barrett, who had met Sam years before in San Francisco, recommended John T. Raymond for the role [MTL 6: 148]. Note: see full text of Barrett’s letter in source; it’s undetermined just when Clemens and Barrett met in S.F.
May 28 Thursday – From Charles E. Perkins’ cash book, Sam’s account: “To po Garvie 2500.00” [Berg collection, NYPL]. Note: William Garvie and son Robert Garvie were plumbers, John Garvie was the general contractor building the house.
May 31 Sunday – Sam’s article on the Fisher family claims were published in the New York World [MTL 6: 134n1].
June or August – Mrs. E. H. Bonner (b. 1842: Loreta Janeta Velazquez) wrote. During the Civil War she disguised herself as a Confederate officer. She’d written an account of her adventures, in hopes of publishing [MTP]. Note: See Oct. 9 to Henry Watterson.
June 1 Monday – From Charles E. Perkins’ cash book, Sam’s account: “To po Downie 270.00” [Berg collection, NYPL]. Note: possibly coachman Downey, fired on June 10.
June 1–8 Monday – In Elmira, Sam wrote to his mother, Jane Clemens about Orion’s latest with his in-laws.
Elmira, June!
Dear Mother:
June 3 Wednesday – From Charles E. Perkins ’ cash book, Sam’s account: “To po Insurance 50 + 10 60” [Berg collection, NYPL].
June 5 Friday – Owen S. McKinney wrote to Sam. This is what the MTP calls a “ghost letter,” being referred to somewhere but with no known text. It’s possible this will surface in time [MTP].
Mitchell, Vance & Co. wrote from NYC to advertise their “large stock” of gas fixtures [MTP].
June 6 Saturday – Case & Rathbun wrote to Sam: “Your telegram duly rec’d, also to-day, order for shirts [half dozen] with slight changes, and order for 200 cigars which we send to-day by express” [MTP].
June 8 Monday – At 7 AM, Livy gave birth to Clara Langdon Clemens, their second daughter, named after Livy’s friend, Clara Spaulding. The baby weighed nearly eight pounds, “which is colossal for Livy,” Sam wrote on June 10 to Orion and Mollie [MTL 6: 155].
June 9 Tuesday – Sam paid a June 5 bill of $8.40 from Scribner, Welford & Armstrong of New York for William Harris Rule’s two-volume work, History of the Inquisition from Its Establishment in the Twelfth Century to Its Extinction in the Nineteenth [Gribben 593].
June 10 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Orion and Mollie. He told them of Clara’s birth; Livy was doing “amazingly well—is cheerful, happy, grateful & strong.” Sam wrote of firing his coachman, Downey, and hiring Patrick McAleer, who was “straight” (sober) because his wife kept him so.
June 11 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira to the Twichells.
“The baby is here & is the great American Giantess—weighing 7¾ pounds, & all solid meat….It is an admirable child, though, & has intellect. It puts its fingers against its brow & thinks.”
Sam then described what became a famous structure, now at Elmira College:
June 12 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Will Bowen about plans for the new house. Only a fragment survives [Hornberger, 33].
June 13 Saturday – From Charles E. Perkins’ cash book, Sam’s account: “To po Garvie 1200.00” [Berg collection, NYPL]. Note: likely John Garvie. See other listings for Garvie.
June 14 Sunday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam and Livy. Letter enclosed in June 18 from Mollie Clemens—both congratulating them on the birth of a daughter [MTP].
June 15 Monday – Sam wrote the good news from Elmira to Dr. John Brown:
“We call the new Megatherium (mate to the Megalopis) Clara of course” [MTL 6: 159].
June 16 Tuesday – Sam wrote to the editor of the Boston Daily Advertiser about misdirected mail from England. Letters from Dr. John Brown had been addressed to him in “Hartford, State of New York, US” and returned to Scotland; another to, “Hartford, Near Boston, New York, US of A.” This one did reach him. Sam wanted to know:
June 17 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Orion, responding to a letter with a sample of coal Orion had found. Sam had shown the sample to Theodore Crane, who was a partner in J. Langdon & Co. Crane wasn’t impressed and Sam gave his brother good advice [MTL 6: 164]. Sam was resigned to Orion being “bound to find a butterfly to chase.”
June 18 Thursday – Mollie Clemens wrote to Sam and Livy, and enclosed Orion’s June 14 [MTP].
June 20 Saturday – Edmund Routledge wrote from London to Sam having just rec’d and read of Mark Twain’s Sketches. Number One. He was sorry Sam might forfeit copyright in England on these and talked of buying cuts from the book [MTP].
June 21 Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira to William Dean Howells. Sam sent compliments on Howells’ third novel, A Foregone Conclusion, which appeared in the July Atlantic Monthly.
“The new baby is a gaudy thing & the mother is already sitting up” [MTL 6: 165].