August 9 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster.
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 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 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 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].
September – In the Century Magazine for the month, William Dean Howells published what Powers calls “one of the earliest appreciations” of Sam Clemens’ literature. Howells compared Sam’s originality with humor as a form to Shakespeare’s use of poetry as poetical. He explained the difference between “merely facetious” humorists such as Josh Billings or the late Artemus Ward and Sam’s use of humor” [MT A Life 464].
September 1 Friday – In London, England, Howells wrote a longish letter to Sam about the travels, the luncheons, the artists and others he’d met and about how far the dollar went there compared to Boston [MTHL 1: 413-4].
Dr. Thaddeus S. Up de Graff (1839-1885) wrote a bill on a card in Elmira with July 21 visitation, payment date Sept. 5 [MTP]. See insert.
September 2 Saturday – Jane Clemens had moved to Keokuk to live with Orion and Mollie Clemens.
Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Perkins asking him to make up a tax list of taxable items. Sam also wanted him to send his mother’s and Orion’s checks to Keokuk, Iowa, “henceforth, & increase Orion’s to $100 a month.”
September 4 Monday – Annie Webster wrote a small card to her uncle Sam, “so glad to feel that every thing is all right again” [MTP].
** James R. Osgood wrote—or someone in his Boston office did, since he was in England, about the trademark issue. (Belford, Clarke & Co to Osgood Sept. 2 enclosed; they agreed to cooperate) [MTP].
September 5 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Orion, commenting on the family upset and taking a sideways slap against Orion’s intelligence:
Dear Bro & the Rest— / I am glad to hear you got through so well. It was much better than I was expecting—especially in Ma’s case. Old as she is, I guess she has more “sand” than any of you.