July 26 Monday – Jean Clemens’ sixth birthday.
In Elmira Sam had received a letter (not extant) from Koto House. Livy had forgotten to send measurements (for a dress?) and Sam apologized for her. “We are hoping the dress will get here in time, to-day.” Sam remarked on the universal characteristics of teenagers:
July 26 Tuesday – Jean Clemens’ seventh birthday. (See July 24 entry.)
In New York City at the St. James Hotel, Sam wrote to Livy:
Livy darling. I have finished up what I had to do here, & shall start to Hartford at 4.30. Charley [Webster] is a constant sufferer from his neuralgia, but has lately found a doctor who gives him several hours’ relief per day.
July 26 Thursday – Jean Clemens’ eighth birthday. Livy inscribed Robert Niedergesass’ book (in German) Kinderstubengeschichten (1887) [Gribben 508].
July 26 Friday – Jean Clemens’ ninth birthday.
Franklin G. Whitmore wrote to Sam: “I sent you 3 boxes ‘Hoffman’ brand. The others have not as yet arrived. I will forward as soon as they do. I have just come from the factory & left the machine running finely — old Van at the keys.” Paige was better after suffering from “Morbus” and would like his salary by the 10th [MTP]. Note: Cholera Morbus is gastroenteritis.
July 26 Saturday – Jean Clemens’ tenth birthday.
July 27 Tuesday – Sam paid a July 17 bill from Estes & Lauriat, Boston publishers and book dealers for a five-volume set of Young Folks’ History of England (1879?) [Gribben 793].
Pamela Moffett wrote to Sam.
July 27 Wednesday – On or about this day Sam wrote to Charles Webster with Kaolatype business and a request to ask the William H. Jackson & Co. about “offensive odors sent out by the gas-logs…when they are burning” [MTP]. Charley handled all sorts of professional, business and personal matters for the Clemens family
July 27 Thursday – Hooker & Co. sent Sam a check for $244.70 for the sale of his old carriage [MTP].
July 27 Sunday – James B. Pond from Everett House wrote that he thought the tour should run through March or to mid-April, which was only 14 weeks when there should be 20. “Everybody says our show is going to pull like the Devil. If you know how that is—hot! HOT!! HOT!!! HOT!!!!” [MTP].
July 27 Monday – Sam wrote from Elmira to the editor of the New York Sun, discussing the controversy and objections to Grant being buried in New York City. Sam argued that it was just the place:
July 27 Tuesday – The New York Times, p.6, ran a humorous story of Mark Twain and a swindle by a plumber.
DOCTOR, PLUMBER, AND TWAIN.
Hartford Letter to the Boston Saturday Globe.
July 27 Wednesday – Sam’s telegram to Franklin G. Whitmore on July 23 about a meeting at his house “next Wednesday eve [this day]…” to “talk the thing all over have statics and other information ready,” suggests Sam’s research into the Paige typesetter and a meeting, at least informally, of stockholders.
Orion Clemens wrote to Sam; check for $155 received; he discussed his research and writing into English kings [MTP].
July 27 Friday – Andrew Chatto wrote to Sam, encouraging his “experiment” of dictating CY to a phonograph.
I hope you will soon tell the story of Smith of Camelot to Edisons phonograph & let us have it [MTNJ 3: 386n292].
July 27 Saturday – Sam’s article, “Archimedes,” a burlesque against high rents and the “present evils of land monopoly” ran in the New York Standard, under the pseudonym, “Twark Main,” as an Australian writer. This piece turned up in the early 1950’s in a search of microfilm files for the defunct newspaper (1887-1892).
July 28 Wednesday – Helen Buckingham Mathews (“H.B. Mathers”) wrote to Sam, so “delighted” with TA that she asked if he might “see your way to giving us poor Britishers a mouthful at a time, say in a series of papers or letters …over a few months?” [Vassar]. Note: Mathews (Mathers) was an author in her own right.
July 28 Friday – Joel Chandler Harris wrote [MTP].
Estes & Lauriat (Boston booksellers) billed Sam for “1 Strickland’s Queens 26 vols 110.00” Marked paid on Aug. 4 [MTP].
William M. Laffan for Harper & Bros. wrote: “Thanks! I will send you a proof anyhow! My glass was not full, but I hastened away and put you in debt to me to the extent of 15c.” He wrote of hot weather in the high 90s [MTP].
July 28 Saturday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Hamlin Garland (1860-1940) novelist, poet, essayist and short story writer, best known for fiction dealing with Mid-Western farmers. Born in Wisconsin, Garland would move to Boston in 1884. Evidently he’d asked Sam for a free story.
“G’way, Leionidas! You ought to know better. I don’t give ‘em away, I sell ‘em. It’s my grub; it’s the only way I’ve got, to earn a dishonest living” [MTP].
July 28 Monday – Sam wrote from Elmira to James B. Pond. The circular looked good but Sam made a few corrections to the proof. It was best not to mention there would be new material, as Sam wanted to “draw just on our names alone.” Pond was evidently lobbying for a longer tour; Sam’s answer:
July 28 Tuesday – Fred Grant decided that his father would be placed in a temporary tomb in Riverside Park next to the Hudson River, while the city architect drew plans for the permanent tomb and memorial. Formal plans for the funeral were completed this week [Perry 229].
July 28 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, after receiving news that a competitor typesetter, the Thorne machine (ironically, manufactured in Hartford), had failed. Sam enclosed August checks received.
July 28 Saturday – Carl Schoenhof, Boston book importer, wrote a postcard to Sam that his order of July 25 “has reached me and will be attended to in a few days” [MTNJ 3: 391n313]. Sam wrote on the card, “Hasn’t come yet (Sept. 23)” [MTP]. (See Sept. 23.)
July 28 Sunday – In the evening, Charles Langdon visited the Clemens family at Quarry Farm [July 29 to Whitmore].
Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, enclosing a check for Whitmore’s salary. The letter is not extant but is referenced in Whitmore’s July 30 [MTP].
July 28 Monday – Sam traveled from Hartford to New York City where he checked into the Hoffman House and wrote Franklin G. Whitmore:
I tried to make myself plain, to-day, & doubtless I did. But to make sure, let me repeat: I want Mr. Davis [Paige’s assistant] to explain to all our force, without delay, that as we are going to do nothing whatever but set type henceforth till the company is formed, we shall need no one for some little time but our 4 operators — so we give them notice in order that they may be on the lookout during August to find employment.
July 29 Thursday – Susan L. Warner (Mrs. Charles Dudley Warner) (1831?-1921) sent congratulations on the birth of Jean [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Mrs. Warner re Jean’s birth”.
Roger Marvin Griswold, M.D. (1852-1935) wrote from North Manchester, Conn.
Samuel L. Clements [sic], / Hartford, Conn, / Dear Sir:
July 29 Friday – Sam sent a correspondence card from Branford, Conn. to G. Brandford Dudman of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, saying that he had “quitted the platform permanently” but thanked him for the compliment of an invitation [MTP]