Submitted by scott on
October 27 Friday – At 388 Beacon St., Boston, Mass., Sam inscribed his portrait to Thomas Bailey Aldrich: “Tom Bailey Aldrich, / with the love of / Mark Twain” [MTP]. Note: Aldrich had written on the portrait, “ ‘The whole quire hold their hips, and laffe.’ ” / A Midsummer Night’s Dream. / The whole quire means all the world. / T.B. Aldrich.”

Sam also wrote to Thomas S. Barbour, of the American branch of the Congo Reform Assoc.

“Dear Dr. Barbour: / I shall go to Ponkapog at noon, & return here in one or 2 or 3 days, then go home to New York about the middle or end of next week (21 Fifth ave).

I shall be there 2 or 3 days before I find out when I can start for Washington” [MTP].

Since Sam wrote from Thomas Bailey Aldrich{’s summer home, Redman Farm, Ponkapog the following day, it is assumed he went there (as written above) at noon.

Little, Brown & Co. wrote to Sam that they were “taking the liberty” of sending a copy of The Ballingtons, by Frances Squire, which they had mistakenly sent to Riverside [MTP]. Note: not in Gribben.

Elisabeth Marbury wrote to Sam, confirming his “recent letter” about Paul Kester and the Tom Sawyer play paying a royalty of 3% of the gross receipts. “These are the same terms that Klaw and Erlanger agreed to pay and to me they seem perfectly fair” [MTP].

Day By Day Acknowledgment

Mark Twain Day By Day was originally a print reference, meticulously created by David Fears, who has generously made this work available, via the Center for Mark Twain Studies, as a digital edition.   

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