Summer of 1883: Day By Day

June 19 Tuesday – Noah Brooks wrote that he’d been subpoenaed on behalf of the prosecution in Duncan’s suit, but that he knew nothing. “I wish you could get the case removed from Brooklyn. That is a bad place for you; Duncan will have things fixed to suit him” [MTP].

June 20 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster about Duncan’s threatened lawsuit:

June 22 Friday – The likely day Sam traveled from Elmira to New York City (see June 23 entry).

June 23 Saturday – The New York Times reported that Sam was staying at the Hotel Brunswick [“PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE,” p8]. When Sam went to the City after June 20 and how long he stayed has not yet been pinned down, but newspaper reports in the Times generally fell a day later than his first night’s stay, which would make his arrival in the city Friday, June 22.

June 26 Tuesday – Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote, not recommending stock in a vineyard scheme for the Barton Vineyard Assoc. [MTP].

June 27 Wednesday – Bissell & Co. per George H. Burt wrote, “If present appearance are correct you are overdrawn $1662.73 we will send the usual statement the 1st prox” [MTP].

Richard L. Ogden finished his June 26 letter [MTP].

June 28 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster, who evidently had passed the idea of travel to California to invest in vineyards. Joe Goodman was involved in vineyards but he isn’t mentioned in this letter, although Samuel Webster writes that Goodman may have inspired the interest in vineyards [217]. Sam answered that no way should Webster go to “all that trouble for a thousand vineyards…The idea of you going to California to find a wa

June 29 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster.

“All right. I will wait till Duncan goes for me individually before I bother. I guess he will not see his way to tackling me at all if Whitford gives his lawyer a hint of what my defense would be.”

June 30 Saturday – Worden & Co. Sent a statement with a balance for June 30 of $13,852.47 [MTP].

September 1 Saturday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Andrew Chatto.

I’ve just finished writing a book; & modesty compels me to say it’s a rattling good one, too—“Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” (Tom Sawyer’s comrade.)

Osgood & I leave for Canada the 26th of November, arriving in Montreal the same evening, where I shall remain a couple of weeks, on copyright bent [MTP].

Sam also wrote to James R. Osgood.

Welcome home, & drink hearty! …

September 12 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster:

“Dear Charley, We shall arrive, tired out, at hotel Brunswick 8.30 tomorrow evening.—Should like to see you five minutes that evening—not before 9, & not after 9.15. After which I will go to bed. Send up card & I will come down stairs. Yrs truly / S L C” [MTBus 219].

September 13 Thursday – The Clemens family’s summer stay in Elmira came to an end, as did the most productive season in Sam’s literary career. They traveled to Hartford by way of New York, stopping at the Brunswick Hotel on Fifth Avenue [MTBus 219; MTNJ 3: 27n46]. Sam’s notebook contains a list entitled “People to see in N.Y.” and includes Charles A.

September 14 or 15 Saturday – Given the number of people Sam needed to see in New York, the family may have stayed two nights in the city; or one, as was usual, before continuing to Hartford.

September 3 Monday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster, directing him to “mail the enclosed to the Altmans—that large dry goods concern on Sixth ave…” Sam didn’t know the full name or address. [MTP].

Orion Clemens wrote, “delighted” Sam was pleased with his history game research, glad that Livy was better and that Mollie suffered “pain relentlessly” [MTP].

September 4 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Orion, enclosing a Aug. 29 request from Return I. Holcombe for information to compile a history of Marion County, Mo. The letter mentioned John Marshall Clemens’ jury service that sent “three Illinois abolitionists” to the penitentiary for twelve years for stealing slaves (see Sept.

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

The board is excellent, now.

——

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 9 Sunday – Sam wrote a one-liner from Elmira to Charles Webster: “Will see you at hotel Brunswick 9 or ½ past, a.m.., Wednesday. SLC” [MTP]. Note: Evidently things were delayed a day.