August 13 Friday – Sam’s notebook:
“The Jubilee Singers sang at the Lowen last night—diviner, even, than in their early days, 26 years ago. They came up to the house this morning & sang to us. They are as fine people s I am acquainted with in any country” [NB 42 TS 24-5].
In Weggis, Switzerland Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers, advising that Katharine Harrison’s July 30 had arrived with the news that Bliss had paid the $10,000.
August 12 Thursday – The Fisk Jubilee Singers were on a European tour, with stops at Basel, Bern, and Zurich. On July 1 they sang in Lucerne in the great hall of the Union Hotel; this was before the Clemenses arrival on July 14. After disappointing audiences at the July 1 and 3 performances, a second concert at the Hotel was planned for Aug. 8, which was “a great success,” with 200 in the audience. The singers then came to Weggis [Locher 18].
August 9 Monday – In Weggis, Switzerland Sam wrote to Andrew Chatto: “These latter batches of sheets are divine—it is no vexation to read them.” He added that he forgot what his PS was, and asked for a “cheap ‘P’dn. Wilson. Unbound; just the sheets” [MTP].
August 7 Saturday – In Lucerne, Switzerland Sam replied to Samuel S. McClure’s July 28 (not extant). Evidently McClure had sought an interview or contribution from Mark Twain, but Sam replied there were “business reasons why it will be best for Barr to do the thing without corresponding with me.” After his signature, he added:
August 6 Friday – In Weggis, Switzerland Sam replied to H.H. Rogers’ July 23 (not extant), discussing plans for the deluxe edition of his uniform works, including a letter Samuel McClure had sent “a couple of days ago…from London.” McClure’s letter included a copy of Frank N.
August 5 Thursday – James Hammond Trumbull (1821-1897) died. Trumbull, with whom Sam enjoyed a personal as well as a professional relationship, was the contributor of the multi-lingual headings in GA, as well as a scholar and Hartford historian, whose work on the philology and history of Native Americans made his reputation. See indexed entries, Vol. I&II, MTDBD on Trumbull. Sam wrote a tribute to the man sometime during the family’s stay in Weggis. The article ran in the Hartford Courant on Nov.
August 4 Wednesday – Sam’s recorded in his notebook that he “Began Hellfire Hotchkiss” on this day [NB 42 TS 24]. Sam’s alternate title was “Sugar-Rag Hotchkiss” [MTS&B 175n5; see surviving chapters, p. 175-203].
F. Kaplan writes of this unfinished work:
August 2 Monday – In Weggis, Switzerland Sam took advantage of a library to obtain new reading material. Sam’s notebook:
“Aug. 2. Monday. Left 5 fr at the circulating library; 3 are a deposit, the 2 pay for 2 books a week. I took a couple of Trollope’s—2 vol. each” [NB 42 TS 23].
In York Harbor, Maine, William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.
August 1 Sunday – Since 1891 the Swiss celebrated this as their National Day (of Independence) owing to a reference in the 1291 Charter for “early August.” Parades, bonfires, and baking marked the day.
Sam’s notebook:
August – In Weggis, Switzerland Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus [MTP].