Vol 3 Section 0756

June 14 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam and Livy replied to Franklin G. Whitmore’s June 13, principally about the sale of the Farmington Ave. house, which had not yet sold but was actively being shown. Livy added that “of course you will not get your price $75,000,” but she’d hoped he might get $60,000. Sam announced they were breaking up housekeeping getting ready for a June 23 move to York Harbor, Maine [MTP].

Sam’s notebook listed more snippets of boyhood memories/ideas for the 50 years after story: “May aples, p’simmons, p’koun-nuts, pawpaw, hickory, walnut, hazel, butternuts. / frog in a lump of coal or rock / Father Hawley’s charity sermon—took a dime out of the collection box. / The Nigger-Head monument. / The baptism lone-hand. The revival. / Drowning of Dutchy / Blowing up of Tom Nash / Burgling the next house” [NB 45 TS 18].

Livy’s diary: “Miss Dodd & Elizabeth & Julia Dodge here for dinner, played Ping Pong in the evening”

[MTP: DV161].

June 15 Sunday – Sam’s notebook listed more snippets of boyhood memories/ideas for the 50 years after

story: “ ‘Haunting’ a house—like Va City—so we can use it for Gang headquarters. / Sign on it T.S.’ s Gang. / Pic-nic—name the girls. / Candy-pull & Jim Wolf. / Eat’m guts & all. 50 yr after. / The mossy marbles rest / On the lips that we have pressed / In their bloom / And the names we loved to hear / Have been carved for many a year / On their tomb” [NB 45 TS 18].

Livy’s diary: “Sam Moffett & Anitta [sic Anita] here for the morning. Rodman Gilder took luncheon with

us” [MTP: DV161].

June 16 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Harper’s. Booksellers’ informal reception. 4 p.m. (Say 4.30?) / 10.30 a.m.

documents to sign” [NB 45 TS19]. Also: “1 man had old vol of cyclopedia, other had another. Each an expert on his

letter” [ibid.]. Note: this last a story idea?

Sam was present at Harper & Brothers when the members of the American Booksellers’ Association visited Harpers and joined in a luncheon. The New York Times, p.9, June 17, took note of the gathering:

Col. Harvey welcomed the visitors. Among the members of the staff present were:

Mark Twain,                                          James McArthur,

W.D. Howells,                                       Hamblen Sears,

John Kendrick Bangs,                            Edward W. Townsend,

Robert W. Chambers,                             D.A. Rogers,

J. Henry Harper,                                    Will Carleton,

Hamlin Garland,                                    Charles H. Baswell

Ernest Ingersoll,                                    Van Tassel Sutphen

F.T. Leigh,                                            Henry E. Rood.

While reunions of booksellers and publishers are of frequent occurrence, the meeting of booksellers and authors was considered a unique departure.

Note: June 28 issue of Harper’s Weekly, p.814 ran a group photograph of the authors and guests

at the above convention. Twain is prominent in the left foreground [Tenney 36]. Note: nearly all the men in the large group of a hundred or more were wearing black; Sam is seated in front sitting profle to the camera, wearing gray or brown. The MTP gives the photograph this date.

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.