February 28 Thursday – Sam gave a short speech introducing poet James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916) and humorist Edgar Wilson “Bill” Nye (1850-1896) at the Tremont Temple in Boston. The pair toured together in 1886 and 1889. Nye founded the Laramie, Wyoming Boomerang in 1881. Fatout writes,

“When James Whitcomb Riley and Bill Nye gave a program of readings in Boston, Major Pond, their manager, induced Mark Twain, on rather short notice, to introduce the pair. His unannounced appearance on the stage provoked a great waving of handkerchiefs and a tumult of applause and cheering, the organist doing his bit by sounding off fortissimo” [MT Speaking 238].

After likening Riley and Nye to the famous Siamese twins, Chang and Eng, Sam offered the final paragraph of introduction:

I beseech for these visitors a fair field, a single-minded, one-eyed umpire, and a score bulletin barren of goose eggs if they earn it — and I judge they will and hope they will. Mr. James Whitcomb Chang Riley will now go to bat [239].

The Boston Daily Globe, Mar. 1, 1889, p.5 “Nye — Riley, With Mark Twain to Act as Middleman” described Mark Twain as:

 …a frowsy-headed, round-shouldered man, as gray as a rat, yet still vigorous in spite of his years, [who] tottered on to the platform [followed by] two ambiguous-looking orphans in dress suits and goldbowed spectacles.

From Budd’s update: “For a highly similar but not identical version see Frank Wilson Nye, Bill Nye: His Own Life Story (1926), p.229-31. J. B. Pond hired a stenographer to take down Sam’s speech.”

James B. Pond was the manager for the team of Riley and Nye, and later claimed that Sam’s appearance at this event was by chance [MTB 876-7] but an entry in Sam’s notebook shows that he planned the introduction well in advance [MTNJ 3: 445n124]. Paine quotes one of Pond’s later published letters:

Mark’s presence was a surprise to the audience, and when they recognized him the demonstration was tremendous. The audience rose in a body, and men and women shouted at the very top of their voices. Handkerchiefs waved, the organist even opened every forte key and pedal in the great organ, and the noise went on unabated for minutes. It took some time for the crowd to get down to listening, but when they did subside, as Mark stepped to the front, the silence was as impressive as the noise had been [MTB 876].

Orion Clemens wrote to Sam that he’d received the $200 monthly check — he placed $45 to Ma’s credit, and sent $10 to Puss. More delusional goings on with Ma; “the doctor has just come and is giving her electricity” [MTP].

Dean Sage wrote from Albany, N.Y. to Sam: “Yours of the 28th received & I am delighted to hear of the [illegible word] of your machine.” Sage planned on going to Hartford with a Mr. Parsons: “He says he will go & we propose to leave here on Tuesday afternoon of next week at 2:30 reaching Hartford if connection is made at Springfield at 7.10. I can look at the machine in the morning & go to N.Y. the first train afternoon & Parsons will return here.” Should he go to Sam’s house or Joe’s? What should he do with Parsons on reaching Hartford? [MTP]. Note: since Sage’s letter and Sam’s note referred to were both Feb. 28, it is assumed that Sam sent a telegram, not extant, to Sage.

Alexander Badlam wrote from S.F. regretting being unable to see Sam to talk over “publication matters” on his recent trip. He had heard of the death of Mrs. Thomas Nelson Page and remembered “a delightful trip” with the Pages, she “the fairest and brightest of our party.” When was Sam coming out to show his family “the scenes of your early triumphs?” Sam wrote on the back “Wire” [MTP].

Elizabeth Keene Boyesen (Mrs. Hjalmar Boyesen)  wrote a note of apology for putting her “foot in it” and for “rudeness not intended” — some issue about him being out to dine and her assuming Livy was not home [MTP].

Webster & Co. wrote to Sam: “Your favor enclosing the Grant contract received, also order for sending goods to Mr. Hayden.” They had not heard from him about the proposed Conkling book [MTP].