April – Sometime during the month, William J. Hamersley loaned Sam $2,500 to help with typesetter expenses. This was a three-month loan but still unpaid a year later. Since Sam expected “Ham” to kick in with one-fifth of ongoing expenses, he may have seen this as an offset. (See July 11 entry.)
March 31 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Joe Goodman of returning Arnot’s check and suffering from an “empty purse.”
Dear Joe — If you were here, I should say, “Get you to Washington and beg Senator Jones to take the chances and put up about ten or” — no, I wouldn’t. The money would burn a hole in my pocket and get away from me if the furnisher of it were proceeding upon merely your judgment and mine and without other evidence. It is too much of a responsibility.
March 30 Sunday – Jessie Burgoyne wrote from N.Y. to ask Sam where she might find his “Yawning Story” and “Sarah Walker.” Sam wrote on the env., “Brer please tell her I didn’t write either of them. I will sign. SLC” [MTP].
Addie M. Cooke wrote from Windsor, Conn. asking Sam if he knew someone who could “compose recitations on any subject.” Whitmore wrote at the top of the note that Mr. C. did not know anyone “who undertakes that species of work. FGW for SLC” [MTP].
March 29 Saturday – Valentina V. Whiting, a “little girl” in New York wrote to Sam for his autograph [MTP].
Lucia B. Griffin, , “The Celebrated Impersonator,” etc., wrote asking permission to use Sam’s “telephone” sketch and “a few of your funny pieces in a small book of recitations I am getting out for school rooms…” She mentioned having met Orion and Sam’s mother in Keokuk. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Brer, please tell her I can’t speak for my publishers, but I myself have no objections. I will sign. / SLC” [MTP].Note: Lucia B. Griffin’s Catchy Cullings, etc. (1890)
March 28 Friday – Matthias H. Arnot sent Sam a check for $5,000 to invest in the Paige compositor, as per a conversation the month before [Mar. 31 to Goodman]. Note: see Mar. 31 to Goodman; this check would be returned.
Orion Clemens finished his Mar. 27 letter: “Ma slept well last night — best night for a week” [MTP].
March 27 Thursday – Orion Clemens began a short letter to Sam he finished Mar. 28. He thanked for the monthly $200 check. Ma’s cough was still bad in the night but “she does not appear to suffer today” [MTP].
Press Supply Assoc. of Cleveland, Ohio per J.W. H. wrote to Sam soliciting an article 100-500 words “embodying your opinion concerning the necessity of a college education to a young man, contemplating a business career, e.i. [sic] whether it is necessary or not?” [MTP].
March 26 Wednesday – In Boston William Dean Howells wrote to Sam enclosing a Mar. 25 letter from Alfred P. Burbank. Burbank wanted a “consideration” to release the play rights for The American Claimant, considering that Sam’s recommendation of Burbank to play Hank Morgan was not enough to guarantee it. Howells felt inadequate to negotiate terms with Burbank and didn’t want to do all the restructuring of the play for less than half profits.
March 25 Tuesday – Samuel Coit wrote from Wash. D.C. to Sam thanking him for his response of Mar. 19 — “I shall follow your suggestion & hold on until the exhibition [of the typesetter] has demonstrated its [illegible word]. I should be pleased to know when that occurs as I shall want to see it.” Sam wrote on the letter, “Brer, please tell him whatever Paige says. / SLC” [MTP].
March 24 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Mr. S. Howell who also owned a cat named “Satan.”
Our Satan is not as popular as formerly, because he brought derision upon his name by having a Kitten…. The Kitten’s name is Sin — another blunder, for sin is of no sex, whereas the kitten is [MTP from Am. Art Assoc. sale May 10, 1934 Item 127].
March 22 Saturday – † In Hartford on or just after this date Sam wrote on Whitford’s Mar. 21 envelope to Franklin G. Whitmore:
Brer, tell him all right for a very little while — then I shall probably want to sue Frohman [MTP].