May 20 Friday – Sam wrote from Buffalo to Elisha Bliss, seeking advice about a proposal made by Appleton & Co. of New York, whereby Sam would write two-line captions for various pictures about Innocents Abroad. Bliss’ objections led to Sam declining Appleton [MTL 4: 131-2].
In the evening, the Clemenses entertained the Slees [May 22 to Jervis Langdon].
May 21 Saturday – Sam wrote from Buffalo to Frank Fuller, declining again to lecture [MTL 4: 133-5].
Sam also wrote to James Redpath about a photograph of himself he had ordered 1,500 copies of [MTL 4: 135]. Sam sent the photo to Will Bowen as well:
“Been too busy & too frightfully lazy to write, Bill—do you pity me? [MTL 4: 136].
May 22 Sunday – Sam wrote from Buffalo to Jervis Langdon.
May 26 Thursday – Sam wrote from Buffalo to the Buffalo Street Commissioner.
“The manner in which Delaware street is sprinkled above Virginia is simply ridiculous. A crippled infant with a garden-squirt could do it better” [MTL 4: 141].
May 27 Friday – Sam’s letter to the Buffalo Street Commissioner was printed in the Buffalo Express [McCullough 207].
May 28 Saturday – In Buffalo Sam wrote a note of thanks to Benjamin P. Shillaber, who had sent a poem in response to Sam and Livy’s wedding announcement. Shillaber founded the Boston Carpet-Bag, (1851-3) where Sam had sent “The Dandy Frightening the Squatter” in 1852 [MTL 4: 142-3].
May 29 Sunday – Sam and Livy wrote from Buffalo to Mary Mason Fairbanks. Their plans to stay in the Adirondacks with the Twichells were “pretty definitely fixed” for a six week stay beginning Aug. 1.
May 30 Monday – Livy and Sam wrote from Buffalo to Elisha Bliss (Sam revised), about the suggested Hartford dinner—now the sales figure to be celebrated was 70,000 [MTL 4: 146].
Jervis Langdon and Olivia Lewis Langdon wrote their son, Charles Langdon, who had written asking for an extended stay in Europe. In part:
My dear Son
May 4 Wednesday – Sam wrote a note of thanks to a fan, Mary Janney [MTL 4: 124].
May 5 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Elisha Bliss, advising him he would be home in a week (Buffalo) and asking what happened to a paragraph (what Sam thought about himself) in the New York Sun [MTL 4: 125].
May 6 Friday – Sam sent a dispatch from Elmira to Elisha Bliss, confirming receipt of a royalty check for $3,914.62 [MTL 4: 126]. Innocents had sold 60,378 copies, with total royalties to Sam in the amount of $11,300 [127n1].
May 7 Saturday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Elisha Bliss acknowledging his check and letter of May 2. He also wrote about having an oyster dinner in Hartford with a speech once Innocents Abroad hit the 100,000-sale mark. He also mentioned his dispatch of the previous day, his:
May 9 Monday – Sam printed an article titled “Personal” in the Buffalo Express about the May Galaxy article “Smells,” having to do with “bad-smelling laboring men” being admitted “to the pews of the church” [McCullough 199].
November 1 Monday – Sam gave his “Savages lecture in Pittsburgh, Pa., Academy of Music [MTPO].
Elisha Bliss wrote: “We want to pay up. Shall we forward statement & check to you at Elmira or await your arrival here?…Can’t you send us list of engagements so far made. … Are you married? We hear of it so often & have contradicted it…Post us up!” [MTP].
James Redpath wrote a one liner: “we have nothing between second and eighth” [MTP].
November 10 Wednesday – Sam lectured to a full house of 2,600 in Music Hall, Boston, Mass. – Sam’s letter of Nov. 9 to his sister was no exaggeration—the Boston lecture was critical to Sam’s continued success on the lecture circuit. Boston was the literary capital of the country, and success there meant easy sledding elsewhere in New England. Sam wrote from Boston to Livy his plans to spend New Year’s Day at home.
November 11 Thursday – Sam lectured at Trinity Church, Charlestown, Mass. [MTPO].
Sam wrote from Boston at midnight:
“…bought full wedding outfit to-day (haven’t got a cent left) & occasionally the packages will arrive by express directed simply to J. Langdon, Elmira. Now your mother must unpack them & put them away for me & be sure not to let Mr. Langdon go wearing them around. I tell you, they are starchy.”
November 11 Friday – Sam wrote from Buffalo to Orion, chastising him for his responses to Bliss’ offer of employment. He added, “Livy is very sick & I do not believe the baby will live five days” [MTL 4: 229-230].
Sam also wrote to Livy’s friend, Fidele A. Brooks about the new baby, after receiving a note from her [231].
November 12 Friday – The New York Press Club sent a circular letter inviting Twain to a Press Club dinner Sat. Nov. 27, 5 p.m. at Delmonico’s. Tickets cost $3 [MTP].
November 12 Saturday – Sam’s article, “A General Reply,” which had appeared in the November issue of the Galaxy, was printed in the Buffalo Express [McCullough 250].
Sam wrote from Buffalo to James Redpath, wishing he could be at the Press Club dinner that night and that he “sent the boys a dispatch” [MTL 4: 235-6].
November 13 Saturday – Sam lectured in Norwich, Conn. “Around the World Letter No. 3” ran in the Buffalo Express [McCullough 89].
November 14 Sunday – Clemens stayed another night in Norwich. See Nov. 15 to Livy.
November 14 Monday – Sam wrote from Buffalo to Jesse C. Haney (1820-1901), writer and publisher of various handbooks, and editor and publisher of humor magazines. Sam declined to write for almanacs, writing that it “belongs to Josh & I won’t touch it.” He didn’t mind caricatures of himself, but not his new baby, in case Langdon didn’t live [MTL 4: 238].
November 15 Monday – Sam lectured at Clinton Hall, Clinton, Mass.[MTPO].
He began a letter from to Livy that he finished on Nov. 16.
Livy Darling — / I had to submit to the customary & exasperating drive around town in a freezing open buggy this morning [at Norwich] to see the wonders of the village
November 15 Tuesday – Charles Langdon wrote to Sam enclosing papers for Livy to sign on a deed, the contract of which Jervis ordered before his death “for some property on R.R. Ave adjoining the Boot & Shoe Manuf” [MTP].
November 16 Tuesday – Sam finished the letter to Livy. Later that evening he lectured in Holyoke, Mass.
Livy Darling—