Summer of 1887: Day By Day

July 3 Sunday – Livy Clemens’ longtime friend, Clara Spaulding Stanchfield, gave birth to a baby girl. Livy was in attendance [A. Hoffman 340].

July 31 Sunday – In his Aug. 3 to Webster, referring to this day, Sam wrote of the “fun, which was abounding in the Yankee at Arthur’s Court up to three days ago,”. It is probable then, that upon returning to New York from Hartford sometime late in the week, that Sam got a fuller picture of the problems and negative forecast of Webster & Co. He may have returned to Elmira this day or the day before.

July 4 Monday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore asking if he’d framed “that motor-agreement” with Paige. He also informed him of the birth of a healthy, 8 lb. daughter to John and Clara Spaulding Stanchfield the day before [MTP]. Note: With Charles Webster increasingly ailing and out of the office, Sam dealt with Whitmore and Hall on publishing house business.

July 5 Tuesday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Linus T. Fenn. Only the envelope survives [MTP]. Note: Fenn was a Hartford merchant, selling furniture and stoves.

Orion Clemens wrote to Sam (Greening to Orion June 26 enclosed), thanking him for the “generous” check received. He wrote of a visit from Charley and Annie Webster and of Ma’s resolve “over and over again” to write to Sam but “the letter is not forthcoming” [MTP].

July 6 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, mostly about trying to set a dollar limit with Paige on the justifying motor. Sam urged diplomacy with Paige. He also complained of an obstacle to his continued fiction efforts:

I am losing time here; can’t seem to get started — on literary work, on account of the stubborn attack of dyspepsia that refuses to yield to treatment or cussing [MTP].

July 7 Thursday – In Elmira Sam responded to Margaret A. Bentley of Oakland, Calif., who evidently had written asking if Sam remembered a former riverboat pilot. It was likely, Sam wrote, that if he ever met the man he was a “cub” at the time and etiquette would have prevented the honor of such an introduction [MTP].

July 8 Friday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore about bills and orders. Sam was also keeping close notice on the Mergenthaler linotype machine on trial at the N.Y. Tribune:

July 9 Saturday – In Elmira Sam answered Samuel S. Cox’s inquiries about publishing:

If I had any doubts as to the readableness of your book it would be in order to send me the MS. — but I haven’t. I should only require to know the amount of matter in it; & you’ve told me that.

June 22 Wednesday – The Clemens family left for Elmira by way of New York City, where they stayed two days [June 20 to Webster]. A June 29 check puts their stay at the Murray Hill Hotel.

Hattie Gerhardt wrote from Chicopee, Mass. to Sam and Livy, sorry she did not have the chance to “say a grand good bye,” but she had been ill [MTP].

June 23 Thursday – The Clemens family was in New York at the Murray Hill Hotel. Sam likely met with Webster on business matters.

Joseph Jefferson wrote from Hohokus, N.J. to Sam that the MS which left Hartford on June 16 just reached him; he’d been to N.Y. twice about it. [MTP]. Note: Joe needed a better pen.

June 24 Friday – The Clemens family continued on to Elmira, staying at the Langdon house until June 28 [June 28 to Whitmore]. This was a ten-hour trip by rail; Sam’s routine was to hire a special “hotel” car from the Erie & Lackawanna Railroad. Livy’s mother, Olivia Lewis Langdon, was growing frail, and Livy would spend many summer days in town beside her [A. Hoffman 340].

June 25 Saturday – Only the envelope survives, postmarked this date at Hartford to Franklin G. Whitmore [MTP]. Since the Clemens family left Hartford on June 22, this may have been left for the servants to mail.

June 27 Monday – William H. Lippincott wrote to Sam asking his advice:

June 28 Tuesday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, answering Abel W. Fairbanks’ letter and request of June 21.

Please look in on the Receiver & then write old Fairbanks a note & tell him whether his papers are satisfactory or not. [¶] We leave the Valley this afternoon & ascend to the farm [MTP].

June 29 Wednesday –

Check #  Payee  Amount  [Notes]

3748  Murray Hill Hotel  77.00  New York

3749  Wm B. Smith  18.00  Dairy

3750  Eugene Meyer  41.50  Piano Lessons

3752  Meyerowitz Bros  7.50  NY Opticians

June 30 Thursday – The Brooklyn Eagle, page 2, ran a paragraph about baseball in Elmira that included a remarkable new role for Sam.

September 1 Thursday – From Sam’s notebook:

Sept. 1 ’87. Two [books] in a year & a half. Loss upon the one, $32,000; profit on the other, $15,000. Expenses, $30,000. Net loss, $17,000 [MTNJ 3: 310&n31].

September 10 Saturday – In Elmira Sam wrote to President Grover Cleveland requesting consideration for Mr. E.P. Crane, of Rutherford, N.J., certified to me by relatives of mine in whose judgment & truth I have confidence [for] the post of Consul at Stuttyard, which he hears is about to become vacant by resignation [MTP]. Note: This might be a relative of brother-in-law Theodore Crane, or someone his sister Pamela Moffett recommended.

September 11 Sunday – Alfred P. Burbank wrote to Sam (clipping enclosed on the Claimant play opening at New Brunswick). “I received your kind and thoughtful telegram day before yesterday but did not respond as Mr. Whittmore [sic] had promptly honored my draft [for $800].” Burbank wrote he thought they “had struck pay dirt” with the play [MTP].

September 12 Monday – During the last day in Elmira Sam wrote for himself and Livy to Dora Wheeler, who had invited them to “another charming holiday” in the Catskills (see Aug. 25, 1885 in vol I).

September 13 Tuesday – In the morning the Clemens family left Elmira for New York City, where they stayed at the Murray Hill Hotel [to Wheeler Sept. 12]. Before leaving, Sam telegraphed William H. Gillette in New York (see Sept. 15 reply); message not extant.

From Sam’s notebook: Sept.13, in back $21,000, & everything paid for [MTNJ 3: 324].

September 14 Wednesday – This is the day Sam wrote Whitmore he’d leave Elmira (see Aug 18), but Sam’s letter of Sept. 8 to Hall confirms he would “look in” at Webster & Co. On this morning, so that the family probably left Elmira the day before.

Alfred P. Burbank telegraphed Sam: “Will you come to Rochester for tomorrow nights performance I want to talk of future disposition of the play” [MTP].

September 15 Thursday – William H. Gillette, at this time appearing at New York’s Star Theatre in a Civil War drama, Held by the Enemy, wrote to Sam:

Only rec. your telegram on arrival at theatre last night — 8 p.m. — too late to send up. I stationed a man at door who said he knew you — but he did not — for he came back and reported that you had not arrived. Sorry not to have had the pleasure of sending seats for the family [MTNJ 3: 318n53].

September – Brander Matthews’ article “An Open Letter to Close a Correspondence” in the New Princeton Review this month would elicit a response with from Sam in the same publication [Neider, MT As I Find It 217n]. See January, 1888.

Sam’s notebook entry:

Anna Keary novels Jennettte’s Home, Castle Bailey, & others. McMillan / Next Door, by Clara Louise Burnham [MTNJ 3: 316; Gribben 115; NB 27 TS 13].

September 2 Friday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall, his man at Webster & Co. He was concerned about deadlines given for the Beecher biography and wanted them telegraphed that they must have the manuscript by Sept. 20.