From the Jordan to the Dead Sea

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From the Jordan to the Dead Sea: —The Jordan, a short distance below the pilgrims’ bathing-place, sweeps round to the W., and then to the S.E. and S. again; widening gradually as it advances, and becoming more sluggish. Towards the mouth of the river the banks are low and muddy. At the mouth the width is 180 yds., and the depth only 3 ft.; but there is no ford, owing to the soft and slimy nature of the banks and bed. The embouchure is considerably inclined to the north-eastern angle of the Dead Sea, and immediately in front of it are 3 small mud islands from 6 to 8 ft.

Jericho to the Jordan

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Jericho to the Jordan.—The distance from Jericho to the banks of the Jordan is about 1 ½ h. The bathing-place of the Latin pilgrims is nearly due E., beside the ruined convent of St. John, now called Kusr el Yehud, “the Jews’ Castle.” That of the Greeks is lower down, and is the one usually visited by travellers. We shall make a slight détour, so as to take in an ancient site, and as the road is good we can make up for it by a canter across the plain.

February 3, 1890 Monday

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February 3 Monday – Sam returned to Hartford [Livy to her mother, Feb.2, MTP].

In Boston, William Dean Howells answered Sam’s Jan. 31:

All right: I return both your letter and B.’s [Burbank’s] so that you can have the true text before you. I haven’t heard from Herne since he carried off the play. It’s well to get it out of B.’s hands anyway, if he’s willing [MTP] Note: See Jan. 28 from Howells.

February 2, 1890 Sunday

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February 2 Sunday – Sam and Livy’s 20th Anniversary, which they both seemed to have overlooked — from a letter to her mother, Livy wrote:

Until I wrote the date… I had not remembered that this is my wedding day. Mr. Clemens is in New York for the day, he went yesterday and will I think return tomorrow…. Susy has gone to church Clara is in New York with Miss Foote attending to her teeth, Jean is upstairs reading. / It is a grey Sunday and looks like snow [Salsbury 273].

February 1, 1890 Saturday

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February 1 Saturday – Sam went to New York City and would return Feb. 3. Clara Clemens also went for an appointment with her orthodontist. Miss Lilly Gillette Foote, the Clemens’ governess accompanied them [Livy to her mother, Feb.2, MTP].

Sam’s notebook:

February 1890

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February – Harper’s Magazine, Number 477, p.439-44 included Sam’s story, “A Majestic Literary Fossil,” which was collected in 1893’s The £1,000,000 Bank-Note and Other New Stories.

St. Nicholas magazine for children, p.309-13 ran “A Wonderful Pair of Slippers,” which included Sam’s letter to Elsie Leslie.

January 31, 1890 Friday

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January 31 Friday – In Hartford Sam answered Howells’ Jan. 28 letter. Since Howells’ visit, Sam had received Burbank’s Jan. 27 inquiry about playing Hank Morgan.

This seems to arrive opportunely. Return it to me & I will send it to Howard Taylor & suggest that he might do worse than put the “Yankee” drama into Burbank’s hands.

January 30, 1890 Thursday

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January 30 Thursday – Sam wrote on a card to an unidentified person:

If I had ever made such a resolution I would break it now. Yours truly Mark Twain. Jan. 30/90 [MTP].

Daniel Whitford wrote to Sam that the gross receipts of P&P for the week beginning Jan. 20 were $5,433.25 and he enclosed a check for Sam’s portion with statement (not extant). Whitford had called on Frohman to again discuss foreign rights to the play — no agreement was reached [MTP].

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