December 2 Wednesday – Sam, Isabel Lyon and “other members of his household” went to a matinee performance of the musical comedy Little Nemo by Harry Bache Smith (1860-1936) at the New Amsterdam Theatre in NYC See insert advertisement; IVL below:
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Today we went to town. The King, Mrs. Walker and I. Benar met us at the train. And Mrs. Littleton in a charming strange French gown and hat met us outside and took us to her new home in 57st Street. We went to the matinee to see Little Nemo” [MTP: IVL TS 82].
A.E. Ballard for the Ocean Grove NJ Camp Meeting wrote to invite Sam to lecture [MTP]. Note “Ans Dec 8 MLH”
Charles Hopkins Clark for the Hartford Courant wrote to ask the date and place of Clemens’ “Patent Adjustable Speech” [MTP]. Note: “Ans Dec 9 MLH”; and IVL: “A speech to be made on any occasion & on any subject. I remember the P.A.S. but I haven’t any idea where I made it, if I made it, or where it was printed, if it was printed. It must have been printed for I know several examples of it”
James V. Fenn wrote from Phila. to ask if Sam was still the owner of 46,000 acres of timber land in Tennessee; if so, what was his price? [MTP]. Note “Ans Dec 29 MLH”
Howells & Stokes wrote to Sam enclosing the $60 bill of L.S. Blackman for original surveying and mapping on the ground, and enclosing the last two letters on the matter. Lounsbury and Sunderland both thought the best thing to do was to pay it as stands [MTP].
Fred Kirkwood wrote from Buffalo, NY with birthday wishes [MTP]. Note “Ans Dec 9 MLH”
The Lincoln Centennial Committee wrote to invite Sam to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln on Feb. 12 [MTP]. Note “Ans Dec 7 MLH”
George B. Merrick wrote from Madison, Wisc. to send Sam his book Old Times on the Upper Mississippi; The Recollections of a Steamboat Pilot from 1854 to 1863 (1908), thanking him for permission to quote from LM. He also praised JA [MTP]. Note “Ans Dec 7 MLH”; See Gribben, p. 465
Lou Nelson wrote from Jacksonville, Fla. with birthday wishes and asking for “a little note” from Clemens [MTP].
Katherine Nichols wrote from Newark, NJ to ask Sam for $50, advance against his “improved telephone attachment” patent pending [MTP]. Note “Ans Dec 9 MLH”
Walter R. Oakley wrote to ask Sam to sign enclosed cards [MTP]. Note “Autogr. Sent Dec 7 MLH”
R.B. Phillips wrote with birthday wishes and autograph request [MTP]. Note “Autogr. Sent Dec 10 MLH”
Charles P.G. Scott for the Simplified Spelling Board wrote to thank Sam for his autograph on the book for Andrew Carnegie [MTP].
Florence Sheldon wrote to ask for Clemens’ autograph [MTP]. Note “Autogr. Sent Dec 7 MLH”
Walter Toepfer wrote from Toledo, Ohio with birthday wishes and autograph request [MTP]. Note “Autogr. Sent Dec 7 MLH”
R.C. Wheeler for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad wrote to Sam to ask for an autograph [MTP]. Note “Autogr. Sent Dec 7 MLH”
Arthur E. Young, 12 years old, wrote birthday wishes from Knoxville, Tenn. [MTP]. Note “Ans Dec 30 MLH”