February 26 Friday – In Berlin at the Hotel Royal Sam wrote to Samuel S. McClure. Webster & Co. had forwarded McClure’s cable from London asking for a “letter at once,” which Sam took to be one a syndicate letter. His illness kept him from correcting or dictating it further, but he felt it “pretty plainly written,” and promised to mail it the next day.
February 24 Wednesday – Edward J. Shriver sent a form letter soliciting Sam’s signature on a petition for the Single Tax [MTP].
February 23 Tuesday – M.R. Jewell typed a four-page letter to Sam with more experiences of “Mental Telegraphy”. As with several other of these responses, Sam wrote “Psychology” on the envelope [MTP].
February 22 Monday – At the Hotel Royal in Berlin, Sam wrote to E.A. Reynolds Ball, an English travel writer. Sam belatedly thanked Ball for sending a book (probably Mediterranean Winter Resorts 1888):
February 20 Saturday – In Berlin at General Maximillian von Versen’s, Sam had dinner with Emperor William II. A few days before, Sam entered in his notebook:
In that day the Imperial lion & the democratic lamb shall sit down together & a little General shall feed them [NB 31 TS 27].
February 19 Friday – In Berlin for the first time in 37 days Sam went out of the Hotel Royal for a half hour [Feb. 20 to Whitmore].
February 18 Thursday – Helen M. Reynolds wrote from Wilkesbarre, Penn. to Sam after reading his “Telegraphy” article. Helen pointed out “something similar in Dr. Holmes’ book, “Over the Teacups,” and asked if Sam had seen it [MTP]. Note: it seems everyone and his brother wanted to share similar “mental” oddities with Sam, or had an opinion on the matter. No other Twain essay seems to have stimulated this amount of response.
February 17 Wednesday – Clara H. Backus wrote from Wallaston, Mass. It is a rambling, non-sensical letter; Sam wrote on the envelope, “Crazy” [MTP].
February 16 Tuesday – Dr. Richard Hodgson (1855-1905) of the American Society for Psychical Research wrote to Sam asking for corroborative testimonies and supporting documentation for Sam’s Dec. 1891 article, “Mental Telegraphy” in Harper’s [“An Incident by ‘Mark Twain’ Verified,” by Walter F. Prince, Journal of the Am. Soc. For Psychical Research, Vol. XV Jan. 1921]. Printed circulars were enclosed. Note: William Wright (Dan De Quille) and Charles T.
February 14 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Professor Helmholtz called” [NB 31 TS 26].
Paine quotes Sam’s record of this day that Professor Rudolf Virchow visited, “but unfortunately leaves no further memorandum of that visit.” Did Paine confuse Helmholtz with Virchow? Or, did both men stop by? Paine also notes that Sam was “quite recovered” by this time, and quotes his final entry: