April 18 Monday –In Rome Sam sent a cable to Henry C. Robinson:

See letter March 28. Trade must include fair share of that interest [MTP; Also NB 31 TS 37].

April 15 Friday – A.L. Bancroft for Bancroft & Co., Pianos and Subscription books of San Francisco, wrote asking what Sam thought of “the ten-block system of numbering country houses,” or the “Contra Costa Plan” for numbering country houses (clippings encl. Jan. 10, 1891 and others from Contra Costa Gazette) [MTP].

April 13 Wednesday – The Hartford Courant divined that some of the stories in Merry Tales were reprints, p.6, “Mark Twain”:

There are seven of these funny stories, not all here presented for the first time….a very various assortment of tales, some funny and one or two not so droll (as the Fort Trumbull story of New London). But they are all more or less enjoyable, and some are particularly humorous [Budd, Contemporary 324].

April 10 Sunday – From the San Francisco Chronicle, p.9, “Literature”:

Merry Tales is a little volume of old stories and sketches by Mark Twain, published in a new form. The volume includes among others that terribly tedious sketch called “Meisterschaft,” which the author may have thought funny, but which no one else ever did. If Mark Twain wants to “turn the barrel” he should exercise better judgment in making his selections for republication [Budd, Contemporary 323].

April 9 Saturday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam of the need for Webster & Co. to close ranks:

…that after next year, instead of making it our policy, as we have heretofore, to push forward and enlarge the firm in all directions, it would be wiser to commence at that time to concentrate; to bend our efforts…in keeping what we have, doing it with less expense, and making it more profitable [MTLTP 300].

April 8 Friday – At the Grand Hotel Sud Tirol In Trient, Austria en route to Florence, Italy, Susy Clemens wrote her “beloved,” Louise Brownell. Joseph Verey and Susan Crane escorted the Clemens girls. The letter was postmarked Apr. 16, but this is the date assigned by the MTP.

April 7 Thursday – Horace Rutherford wrote from Trenton, Ky. He enclosed under another cover, a “genuine Kentucky Meerschaum. It has been in training for two or three weeks, and I trust it is ancient enough for you. I saw an article several weeks ago,by Luke Sharp in the Louisville Times in which it stated that you were very fond of smoking an old Kentucky cob pipe, and as you could not stand a new pipe, you hired some old tough to flavor it for you, etc.” [MTP].

April 6 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook : “Harriet Hosmer’s Studio — 4 p.m. Wednesday” [NB 31 TS 36]. Note: placement in the NB suggests this day or Apr. 13 Harriet Goodhue Hosmer (1830-1908).

April 5 Tuesday – In Rome Sam sent a cable to Henry C. Robinson:

Do they offer no modification of the proposition? [MTP; also NB 31 TS 36].

Sam’s notebook : “Ezekiel’s Studio — 4 p.m. Tuesday” [NB 31 TS 37]. Note: placement in the NB suggests this day or Apr. 12.

Ben W. Austin wrote from Oak Cliff, Texas to Sam, asking for the autographs of John Raymond and Charles S. Webster [MTP].

April 4 Monday – In Rome, Sam wrote two letters to Frederick J. Hall, relating the entire history of the aborted play Colonel Sellers as a Scientist (The American Claimant), including A.P. Burbank’s efforts, Howells and his loss of money and a past proposal of Alfred Arnold to dramatize the story for “Crane the comedian” (William H. Crane (1845-1928) actor/comedian).