Home at Hartford: Day By Day

September 6 Tuesday – Sam telegraphed from Elmira to Charles Webster that the terms were satisfactory for a contract Webster was to frame to “suit” himself. Sam added that he would send money this day [MTP]. Note: the nature of the contract is not specified, but may have been with Garvie; see Webster’s of Sept. 9 to Clemens.

September 6 Wednesday – Sam also wrote to Charles Perkins, asking him to send payment certificates on the Independent Watch Co. stock to Charles Webster, who was in Fredonia [MTP].

Charles L. Brewer wrote from Southport, Ind. to ask for an autograph; SASE in file [MTP].

Independent Watch Co., Fredonia, per O.R. Burchard sent a notice of a stockholders for Monday Sept 18 at 8 a.m. to elect new directors [MTP].

September, a Thursday (6th, 13th, 20th or 27th) – Sam wrote from either Elmira or Hartford to Charles Webster.

The board is excellent, now.

——

September 6 Saturday – Charles Webster wrote to Clemens: Am. Exchange stock issue resolved—error in the London office & Sam would get his full dividend; he had no copy of the Seller’s play & Howells had only an “imperfect copy”; should he draw up a contract with Raymond? [MTP].

Jeannette L. Gilder for The Critic wrote to ask Clemens to contribute for their series of sketches—could they send someone to interview him? [MTP].

September 6 Sunday – Sade E. Bond wrote, enclosed in Dickinson Sept. 16 [MTP].

Orion Clemens wrote: Check for $150 rec’d. “Ma went up to Burlington (40 miles) with a steamboat excursion Thursday. Returned same day.” Ma sent Puss and bought a dress to overdraw her account $4 [MTP].

September 6 Monday – Frederick J. Hall wrote, advising, “the gentlemen who were negotiating Superintendent Walling’s book have agreed to wait until Mr. Webster’s return.” There was no objection by the Grant’s to Webster & Co. Publishing Adam Badeau’s book on Grant, but put off a definite yes to Badeau till Webster’s return. Hall had offered $300 to Mr. P.B. Bromfield to survey newspapers and would raise it $25 should he balk [MTP].

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 6 Thursday – At Quarry Farm, Theodore Crane suffered a stroke and was partially paralyzed [Budd, Collected 1: 980; other sources give only month]. He would suffer many ups and downs, treatments in New York and visits to Hartford for the next ten months until his death on July 3, 1889. His condition would greatly affect the Clemens family.

Sam wrote to Robert Underwood Johnson of Century Magazine:

September 6 Saturday – Orion Clemens finished his Sept. 5 to Sam:

To-day Ma’s room has that dreadful urinary smell which characterized Mr. Stott’s during the last five or six years of his life. Ma is wild about the box with blue stripes you sent her, and into which you strove to put every thing she could need [MTP].

September 7 Wednesday – Sam wrote a twelve-page letter from Elmira to Charles Webster, “mostly detailed and intricate instructions” on Kaolatype. The final message was:

“My experience with Slote teaches me that this sort of letter should be destroyed. Therefore, read this till you are sure of its several points, then burn it” [MTBus 168].

September 7 Thursday – Karl Gerhardt wrote to Sam and Livy with their July expenses detailed and a brief summary of his activities [MTP].

September 7 Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Howells, upset about a:

“…drunken ruffian who has been a trouble to our neighboring farmers for a couple of years & who drew a revolver on Susie & Clara last Wednesday when they were down the road a piece & without a protector” [MTP].

September 7 Tuesday – In Elmira Sam wrote a short note to Franklin G. Whitmore in Hartford, sending funds he wished safe-deposited, with notes to Bissell & Co., his Hartford banker [MTP].

The Israel Putnam Monument Commission awarded the contract for an equestrian statue of the colonial soldier to Karl Gerhardt. This came after months of deliberation [MTNJ 3: 253n84].

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 7 Friday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore that he’d sold the Beech Creek bonds for $8,300 and that he was offered $4,000 for the same company’s stock, “& may possibly take it.”Sam felt that was all the selling they needed for the time being [MTP]. Note: this and his Sept. 6 note to Whitmore show he sold the bonds on either day. He would send the check for the sale on Sept. 10.

September 7 Saturday – In Elmira Sam responded to a letter from Nellie Bunce (See June 9, 1888 entry for more on Nellie). Sam waxed eloquent about a “feeling” he shared with Nellie, and invited her and her husband to visit. He was in a poetic mood:

We who have our home in this divine far country, spread its hospitable gates wide to you, & say out of heart & mouth, Enter in, ye are welcome! [MTP].

September 7 Sunday – John Brusnahan, foreman at the N.Y. Herald, wrote to Sam:

I gave my report to Mr. Howland yesterday. He took it home to ponder over it. I am vain enough to think I have fired a pretty heavy shot into the Mergenthaler [MTP].

September 8 Monday – Sam wrote a short note from Elmira to Mary H. Beale, who evidently was seeking employment. “…my correspondence is not voluminous enough to make a short-hand amanuensis necessary, & in my other work I am obliged to use the pen myself” [MTLE 4: 91].

September 8 Wednesday – Sam paid $6.60 to A.S. Fitch at 112 Baldwin Street, Elmira for German books [MTP].

September 8 Thursday – Felix N. Gerson wrote from Phila. to Sam, enclosing “an English version of Heine’s poem ‘The Lorelei,’ which I undertook to translate after perusing your ‘Tramp Abroad’” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “A poor translation”; the poem enclosed from the Sept. 2 North American

September 8 Friday – Jane Clemens and Orion Clemens wrote to Sam. Jane wrote on a small paper: “I read your letter this morning. I lived in Fredonia a long time. I say keep both eyes open & watch as well as pray. Love to Livy yourself & the little children.” Orion wrote: “Nevertheless, I continue to think that Charlie settled everything satisfactory because you made him—just as Howard Brothers pay $1900 for Pamela’s stock because you and Charlie coerced them.

September 8 Saturday – Joe Twichell wrote from Franconia, N.H., hoping Sam had cooled from his anger about Twichell publishing information about the history game. He described their vacation in N.H. [MTP].

September 8 Monday – Sam wrote a short note from Elmira to George Iles, the Canadian editor.

“You have my best thanks; & when Pond has fixed my dates I will drop you a line; & shall hope that they fall as you have suggested” [MTP].

September 8 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Chatto & Windus, acknowledging receipt of their Aug. 21 letter with notes for £986.10.5.

“It is true that Huck Finn has not treated you kindly, but it must be because the English people do not understand that dialect; for here, where the people do understand it, the book has sold more than 60,000 copies, at my usual high prices—$2.75 to $4.50 a copy.”

September 8 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam wrote to J.M.G. Wood (on the letter addressed to Jack G. Wood, Aurite City, La. Sam’s letter is obviously a response to one received (not extant), an invitation to read:

I wish I could but I can’t. I never venture to read when I am writing anything, lest I get my attention diverted from my work, & have a long, hard pull of it getting back into the swing again.