February 21 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote a short note of thanks to Thomas Bailey Aldrich for sending an inscribed book of his poems, The Sisters’ Tragedy, with Other Poems, Lyrical and Dramatic (1891) [MTP]. See Feb. entry.
February 20 Friday – In Hartford Sam was immersed in work. On this day he began again what would become The American Claimant (in his Feb. 10 to Howells Sam disclosed he’d begun on Feb. 8, so he may have started over on this day.) He would write the book in only 71 days, finishing on May 2. He also was hard at work resurrecting the game that would become Mark Twain’s Memory Builder.
February 19 Thursday – General William Tecumseh Sherman’s funeral followed by a military procession took place in New York City. His body was then taken to St. Louis, where a second funeral was held on Feb. 21 at a Catholic church. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis.
February 18 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook lists an invitation to lecture at Central Music Hall, Chicago for $1,000 from Edmund W. Ballentine [MTNJ 3: 603]. Note: No record exists of Sam agreeing to such a lecture, nor is a date for a proposed appearance shown.
February 17 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall of a “very pleasant visit” by an unspecified man. He also enclosed a paper which, if Hall liked it for publication, to make a copy of it and mail the original to Grace King. Sam expressed some urgency as to developing the memory game, feeling it would provide some needed income:
Come quickly, & discuss my historical game. It is the important feature now [MTP].
February 16 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote through Franklin G. Whitmore to Frederick J. Hall asking him “to come to Hartford as soon as convenient…He wishes to talk with you in relation to his ‘Historical Game’ and it’s [sic] publication.” Note: with the bursting of the “Jones bubble” dashing hopes for large scale financing of the typesetter, Sam turned to every possible asset, literary and miscellaneous, to raise money.
February 15 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall enclosing a note (not extant) from Grace King about publishing a book from a widow.
February 14 Saturday – General William Tecumseh Sherman died in Boston. The NY Times, Feb. 15, 1891, p.2 reported:
A NATION MOURNS HIS LOSS.
TRIBUTES OF RESPECT AND LOVE FROM OTHER CITIES.
February 13 Friday – The deadline for Senator John P. Jones to exercise his option to form a stock company for the production of the Paige typesetter. The letter Jones promised in his Feb. 11 telegram arrived. Kaplan writes,
February 12 Thursday – In Hartford Sam undoubtedly let loose some of his anger over the typesetter in a letter to the Hartford Gas Company. This letter suggests Livy was not yet home.