December 7 Tuesday – Sam attended the Burgtheater for a premiere of Gerhart Hauptmann’s Die versunkene Glocke (The Sunken Bell). One or both of his daughters may have accompanied him. Livy was still not going out in public [Dolmetsch 113-14].
December 5 Sunday – The full front page of the Oesterreichische Illustrirte Zeitung featured a cartoon with Mark Twain telling tales to the locals [Dolmetsch 139]. Tenney cites the article inside as “Mark Twains humoristische Schriften” [26].
December 2 Thursday – At the Metropole Hotel, Vienna, Austria, Livy wrote to Chatto & Windus, asking them to send her husband’s book which contained “the little farce ‘The Miesterschaft’” to Frau Hof Kapell -Meister Hans Richter, in Vienna. She also asked that the new Life of Lord Tennyson by his son be sent to Mrs. Langdon in Elmira ( Ida Langdon) [MTP]. Note: Hans Richter was the chief conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic.
December 1 Wednesday – At the Metropole Hotel, Vienna, Austria, Livy wrote for Sam to Chatto & Windus, asking them to please forward an enclosed letter for Samuel McClure’s London office as Sam did not know the address [MTP].
December – A cartoon of Mark Twain by F. Graetz as “The American Diogenes” appeared on the cover of the December issue of Der Floh. The background scene includes politicians rioting, with Sam standing amidst the rubble and street pipes being installed, which he had complained of. See insert.
Sam’s notebook entry lists Ralph Keeler’s 1869 novel, Gloverson and His Silent Partners: “librarian had a copy” [NB 42 TS 50].
November 30 Tuesday – Sam’s 62nd Birthday.
In Vienna, Austria Livy wrote for Sam to Chatto & Windus [MTP].
November 29 Monday – Sam’s notebook entry (for Dec. 1):
November 28 Sunday – At the Metropole Hotel, Vienna, Austria, Sam wrote to Samuel E. Moffett, who worked for the Hearst newspapers, including the N.Y. Journal. After offering the following he gave a brief, positive status for family members.
November 27 Saturday – Livy’s 52nd birthday.
The New York Times of Nov. 28, datelined Berlin, Nov. 27, ran a squib on p. 1, “Czech Hits Mark Twain,” headlined “The American Author Injured Going Out of the Reichsrath.” The report was false.
November 26 Friday – Sam’s notebook:
Nov. 26. To-day, 1.30, saw the great dramatic incident in the House when 60 policemen marched in & cleared the Presidium of 10 Social Democrats by violence. 4 were imprisoned on the premises. Wolf was arrested at 2 p.m. at 2.30 the Left seemed cowed, & made not much noise. So I left.