August 6, 1891 Thursday
August 6 Thursday – In Bayreuth, another performance of “Parsifal” was given. Sam elected not to go, but said the “others” of his party did. He wrote of the setup of the festival:
August 5, 1891 Wednesday
August 5 Wednesday – In Bayreuth, Sam wrote on Aug. 6 of this day’s performance of “Tristan and Isolde”:
August 4, 1891 Tuesday
August 4 Tuesday – In Bayreuth, no performances were given; it was a rehearsal day. Sam took the opportunity to add to his article, “At the Shrine of St. Wagner,” warning visitors for the next year of the dining situation there.
August 3, 1891 Monday
August 3 Monday – In Bayreuth, Germany Sam wrote on Aug. 4 of his experiences of this day:
August 2, 1891 Sunday
August 2 Sunday – Sam wrote of attending “Parsifal,” an opera he noted that “Madame Wagner does not permit its representation anywhere but in Beyreuth.”
August 1, 1891 Saturday
August 1 Saturday – The Clemens party arrived in Bayreuth, Germany (Bavaria) on what Sam wrote was “about mid-afternoon of a rainy Saturday” [“At the Shrine of St. Wagner”]. During their stay in Bayreuth, Sam wrote “At the Shrine of St. Wagner,” the second letter to the McClure Syndicate. You can find this letter in Neider’s Complete Essays of Mark Twain (2000).
August 1891
August – Harper’s Monthly ran Sam’s sketch, “Luck” [Wilson 189]. Sam wrote the story in 1886 [MTB 842] after hearing it from Joe Twichell. Sam thought the story was “too improbable for literature” and so had put it aside until forced by the financial swamp of the typesetter to comb his materials for saleable material. The sketch would be reprinted in Merry Tales (1892).
July 31, 1891 Friday
July 31 Friday – The date Sam gave Frederick J. Hall (July 10) when he’d be at Bayreuth for the Wagner festival. Sam actually arrived the next day, Aug. 1 [“At the Shrine of St. Wagner”]. The Clemens party was in transit this day.
July 30, 1891 Thursday
July 30 Thursday – The Clemens party was traveling to Bayreuth, Germany [Rodney 135].
Orion Clemens wrote to Sam having received his monthly check. Orion wrote a longish letter about himself and Mollie and things with Sam and the family. This letter also includes drawings of church windows in Keokuk and a discussion of local tobacco, etc. [MTP].
July 29, 1891 Wednesday
July 29 Wednesday – The Clemens party was traveling to Bayreuth, Germany [Rodney 135].