August 1 Tuesday – Sam also wrote to Charles Webster, who had conveyed the news of illness there.
“It is dismal news. We had the impression that Annie & the children [at this date they had two: Alice, age six; William, nearly four] were to leave for some country place the moment the summer (June) should begin. It seems a very severe attack, but I hope you & Annie are in better hopes & spirits by this time” [MTP].
August 11 Friday – William M. Laffan for Harper & Bros. Wrote that he was going to London and wanted to know “where I will find Osgood when my first critical cocktail emergency arises.” He planned to stay 6 months there [MTP].
August 12 Saturday – J.W. Bryan for St. Louis & Vicksburgh Line wrote from steamer City of Greenville, in St. Louis after seeing a telegram Sam sent to Capt. James O’Neal. He gave details of the injuries in the explosion [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “ ‘Gold Dust’ wounded”
August 13 Sunday – Livy wrote from Elmira to her nephew, Samuel Moffett, saying that Sam was “hard at work” on a new book. LM was a great struggle for Sam. Livy described him coming down from writing:
“…with his head so sore & tired that he cannot bear to have the simplest question asked of him, or be compelled to talk at all, so our evenings are spent in playing Cribbage…” [MTP].
August 14 Monday – Sam wrote to James R. Osgood, letter not extant but referred to in Osgood’s Sept. 2 reply.
John G. Scott wrote from Jamestown, NY to beg for $10 [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Dead-beat”
Charles Webster wrote (only the env. survives) [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “K. Statement"
August 15 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster, rather peeved about an eighteen dollar charge for a picture, about comparing engraving on wood with brass, etc. As usual, it fell on Webster’s head to give Sam “the details of this expense, & explain them” [MTP].
August 16 Wednesday – Jane Clemens wrote from Fredonia to Sam and Livy: “The time for us to leave here is two weeks from yesterday. Mrs London our Dr. said this morning she thought it would be better if we could go sooner. Mollie is better than I have seen her before. Orion is better, but not well. Orion will do as you advised about our going. Your very kind letter was a comfort to us all” [MTP].
August 18 Friday – Karl & Hattie J. Gerhardt wrote “delighted” by a letter from Livy, but “so sorry to hear that Jean had been sick.” A shorter letter than usual [MTP].
August – Sometime during the month, Orion wrote Sam with accusations that Charles Webster had defrauded people with the Watch Co.
August 19 Saturday – Charles Webster wrote that Sam’s picture in the Century “is splendid”. He told of meeting Abbott H. Thayer while in Providence; a burglary at his home and the stolen items; “a terrible fire” on their block; both of Slote’s notes were paid; a spelter cast for White Elephant; and other misc. business details [MTP].
August 2 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to John L. RoBards:
Dear John— / What promise? I hardly ever make one—and never make one that is any trouble to keep. Tell me about this one (for I have forgotten it utterly) & if it isn’t any trouble to keep it, I’ll keep it, as sure as you live—otherwise, I’ll add it, without a twinge of conscience, to the million of the same kind that went before it [MTP].
August 20 Sunday – Sam telegraphed from Elmira to Charles Webster:
“May be you had better come up tonight and consult tomorrow morning on the bill. I shall have a guest to entertain tomorrow afternoon & night SL Clemens” [MTP]. Note: see Aug. 15 to Webster. Guest unidentified.
August 21 Monday – Kate D. Barstow wrote from Wash. DC: “I have written two letters to you during the summer, without receiving any reply…Please send me thirty-five dollars and oblige” [MTP].
Mary Mason Fairbanks wrote her typical “motherly” letter asking for “some word of yourself” and that the typewritten letters were better than nothing. She’d read of him in the Century [MTP].
August 22 Tuesday – Pamela Moffett wrote from Fredonia: she’d rec’d his “very kind letter. Orion is trying to arrange in accordance with your wishes to take Ma in the safest and most comfortable way.—arrangements not yet perfected.” She also detailed expenses and showed he owed her $20 [MTP].
August 23 Wednesday – John H. Carter for St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Lem Gray buried Aug. 23d”
Charles Webster wrote of his preference to come to Elmira on Saturday, as he had “some very important matters to attend to Monday and Tuesday” [MTP].
August 25 Friday – Molly & Orion Clemens wrote to Sam and Livy [MTP].
August 26 Saturday – In Elmira, Sam inscribed two correspondence cards to two unidentified persons, on one drawing a cat and on the other drawing a cow [MTP].
“I could not think of a sentiment—they won’t come on demand—so I have substituted pictures…”[MTP].
The New Orleans Times-Democrat ran a description of a Natchez cotton mill that Sam would quote in LM [Gribben 502].
August 27 Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Annie Moffett Webster. Sam, trying to clear up the accusations about Annie’s husband, Charles Webster, wanted her side of the story. Sam asked a numbered list of questions about Pamela Moffett, Charley, Annie and deeding half of Annie’s house; about Dunkirk land; about Pamela’s will; silverware, a sewing machine; and Pamela’s state of mind.
August 28 Monday – Robert D. Brain wrote from Springfield, Ohio, wanting his advice on how he could retain rights of his stories after selling them to publications [MTP].
Joel Chandler Harris wrote from Atlanta to “inquire how you are coming on in a general way, and particularly with regard to lumbago.” He told of being the only sober man at a New York “farewell dinner” at the Tile Club, watching everyone “go to pieces” [MTP].
August 29 Tuesday – Sam had scrutinized Charles Webster’s dealings with the Independent Watch Company stock and wrote from Elmira to his niece, Annie Webster who evidently answered Sam’s questioning letter of Aug. 27 immediately:
August 3 Thursday – Charles E.S. Wood wrote: “The White Elephant is now all he ought to be and I’m proud of him. After final disposals here is the residue of 1601. The old sheets I destroyed” [MTP].
August 30 Wednesday – Sam’s sister Pamela Moffett wrote him; Sam added a postscript sending it on to Annie Webster. Pamela emphasized that Charley had made everything perfectly satisfactory, and that she’d been distressed by Orion’s writing to Sam about her affairs, even though he’d meant well.
August 31 Thursday – Chatto & Windus wrote about publishing matters [MTP].
Orion Clemens wrote from Keokuk: “We arrived here at 1 o’clock to-day, by the route Mollie has fought for all the time. Ma arrives in better condition than either Mollie or Pamela.” He acknowledged Sam’s check for $125, of which $50 was for Ma [MTP].
Worden & Co. Sent a statement with a Aug. 31 balance of $24,318.25 [MTP].
August 4 Friday – Sam paid Estes & Lauriat of Boston $110 for 26 volumes of Agnes & Elizabeth Strickland’s Lives of the Queens of England from the Norman Conquest, and other works by the two, including a six-volume work by Mary Anne Everett Green, Lives of the Princesses of England. The bill paid was dated July 28 [Gribben 674].
August 5 Saturday – Orion Clemens finished his Aug. 4 letter [MTP].
August 5–9 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Lt. Charles E. S. Wood, who wrote Aug. 3 asking if Sam would like a proof wood engraved portrait by Timothy Cole.