January 30 Friday – James Whitcomb Riley wrote to Sam enclosing his poem, “Honest Old Sam Hungerford.” Gribben writes:
“Riley sent this poem to Clemens from Pittsburg…; it is a ‘dialect’ piece about ‘the prince of honest men,’ someone who ‘never earnt a dollar, ner he didn’t give a dam!’ Riley wrote that he wanted to hear Clemens recite the short poem ‘in some deep, reposeful state of satirical exasperation’” [580]. Note: see Feb. 2 for Sam’s thanks.
January 29 Thursday – In Hartford Sam telegraphed Howard P. Taylor, once compositor on the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, and now an accomplished playwright, who wished to dramatize CY.
Been away. I like the idea but submit the terms to me before you close. SL Clemens / Jany 29th 1891 [MTP].
January 28 Wednesday – † Sam probably returned to Hartford by this day, as the trip was often a long one and his Jan. 29 telegraph to Howard P. Taylor would have been during daytime hours.
Julius G. Rathbun wrote to Sam wishing a “1/4 hours confab” with him sometime in the next few days [MTP]. Note: Rathbun owned the Hartford apothecaries.
January 27 Tuesday – † Sam was in Washington, seeking to confer with Senator John P. Jones on the Paige typesetter.
Orion Clemens wrote thanking Sam for the $200 check which came the day before [MTP].
William Fowler wrote from Edinburgh to Sam about the death of Jim Park, a friend “who was so deeply bitten by Mark Twain.” Fowler called Twain “Jim Park’s good angel” [MTP].
January 26 Monday – † Sam was in Washington, seeking to confer with Senator John P. Jones on the Paige typesetter.
January 25 Sunday – Sam was in Washington, seeking to confer with Senator John P. Jones on the Paige typesetter.
James Redpath wrote from N.Y. asking Sam if there were any services he could perform for him, as he was out of production with Belford Co. Publishers [MTP].
January 24 Saturday – Sam left again for Washington likely on this day, he’d announced the day before in his letter to Senator Jones. On Jan. 25 Livy began her letter to Georgina Sullivan Jones, “Mr. Clemens has gone out of town for a few days.”
January 23 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote again to Senator John P. Jones of Nevada, announcing he was “coming down to show” him how the whole typesetter stock affair might be successful without Jones having to do any personal soliciting, “either by voice or pen.”
Of course I meant to wait until the silver question was out of the way, but according to the papers that is to be kept alive by the enemy till the end of the session [MTP].
January 22 Thursday – S. New England Tel. Co per W.H. Babcock notified Sam with a form letter of interruption of service due to icy weather. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Rebate for telephone” [MTP].
January 21 Wednesday – The N.Y. Times, p.1 reported, “A SERMON HEARD 450 MILES AWAY,” over telephone lines to the Clemens home in Hartford. The article was datelined Elmira, Jan. 11. See that entry for the article.
Frederick J. Hall wrote a short note to Sam of the letter and notice from Hume Nisbet (Jan. 9 encl.), and they’d received notice from the post office that books were waiting; they’d forward them [MTP]. Note: See Jan 9.