January 7 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Brander Matthews: “There’s not a blamed thing in the way, except I’m mortgaged for a lunch already, on that day” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Francis H. Skrine in London:
“Although the Sir William biography, through the (possibly criminal) neglect of your publishers continues to not arrive, that doesn’t prevent these Clemenses from shouting Happy New Year in this most cordial voice across the Atlantic to those well-beloved Skrines.”
On the reverse side Sam wrote “Not to be read when Mrs. Skrine is around.” He then wrote of his shock in learning that Rudyard Kipling had called for conscription, and satirized a verse from Kipling’s “Absent-Minded Beggar.” Sam wrote, “Why, why, why! Has Kipling gone to satirizing Kipling?” [MTP].
Note: this 1899 poem in its time was perhaps the best-known of all Kipling works, though taken to be vulgar by some. Kipling himself had mixed feelings about the poem, saying he would have killed the author if it didn’t mean committing suicide.
Sam and Livy wrote “heartiest New Year greetings” to Sir Thomas and Lady Wardle [MTP].
In N.Y.C. William Dean Howells wrote to Sam after not hearing back about the Moretti’s luncheon and fearing Jean Clemens was worse [MTHL 2: 738]. Note: Howells may have misdated this letter because he referred to the lunch date as “tomorrow (Thursday).” The luncheon was on Jan. 9.
Elisabeth Marbury wrote to Sam. “Our letters are evidently crossing. The power of attorney which you gave me is very definite. I send you herewith a copy of it. You will note that therein you appoint me your sole agent” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “Power of Atty to collect on 3 plays. Expires Apl 2, 1902.”
Hydesaburo Ohashi, a student at Harvard, wrote from Cambridge, Mass. sending some poems [MTP].
Sam’s notebook: “Hicks got $3 a week. Huck a doubter—or believer? (for he is superstitious)—Tom tells him the facts. Aunt Polly believes. / Take Aunt Polly & Betsy to prayer-meeting—nigger show—old jokes. / The old oaken bucket / (Palmyra ave.)” [NB 45 TS 2]. Note: this may have been notes for the story of Tom and Huck 50 years after, never finished, perhaps destroyed.