November 30 Monday – Sam’s 73rd Birthday. The New York Times, Dec. 1, p.1 “Mark Twain is 73.” announced that Sam passed his birthday “quietly at his home…As was his custom, Mr. Clemens took his morning ride, passing the remainder of the day with his household.”
In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to daughter Jean in Berlin, Germany.
December – Cooley writes of the decline of the Aquarium Club, something notable in less correspondence beginning this month:
December 1 Tuesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Marjorie Breckenridge.
December 3 Thursday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.
December 4 Friday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Elizabeth Jordan.
Dear Miss Jordan:
December 5 Saturday – Sam’s new guestbook:
Name Address Date Remarks
December 6 Sunday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Margaret Blackmer.
December 7 Monday – Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Murray Butler sent their calling card for Sam “to meet Lord & Lady Northcliffe & Signor Ferrero,” Tues. Dec. 15 4 to 6 p.m. [MTP]. Note: “Ans Dec 7 MLH”
December 8 Tuesday – Sam’s A.D. for this date focused again on the two burglars at Stormfield [Hill 209]. f: Sam also dictated on the burglary on Oct. 6 and Nov. 12.
December 9 Wednesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Dec. 2 of Charles Hopkins Clark.
December 10 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Dorothy Quick.
December 11 Friday – Sam took a quick trip into NYC, using taxis to visit H.H. Rogers, Julia Langdon Loomis, daughter Clara, and Mary B. Rogers [Dec. 12 to Langdon].
December 12 Saturday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Charles J. Langdon.
Dear Charley:
December 13 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Mr. Starr & Mr. Watson came for luncheon today, & Mrs. Starr made some colored photographs of the King & Margaret” [MTP: IVL TS 83]. Note: see Starr’s account of this trip Nov. 29 entry.
December 14 Monday – William Ireland Starr, photographer from West Redding, Conn. came and took photographs of Stormfield and it’s occupants, including one of Ralph W.
December 15 Tuesday – Clara Apfel, who was about to prepare a paper for the Chicago Women’s Club wrote to ask “something new”—“Possibly what you personally think of ‘Women’s’ clubs” or some little incident” in his life [MTP]. Note: “Ans Dec 23 MLH”
December 16 Wednesday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.
Dear Clemens:
December 17 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam sent a telegram to daughter Jean in Berlin, Germany.
[typed on form of Western Union Telegraph Company:]
December 18 Friday – In N.Y.C. H.H. Rogers wrote to Sam.
December 19 Saturday – In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Dec. 18 from H.H. Rogers.
Dear Admiral:
December 20 Sunday – In Redding, Conn. Sam began a letter to Margaret Blackmer that he finished on Dec. 21. The Dec. 20 segment:
December 21 Monday – In Redding, Conn. Sam added to his Dec. 20 to Margaret Blackmer.
Next morning. 8 a.m. Before breakfast.
December 22 Tuesday – Mansfield Hobbs, an attorney friend of Ralph W. Ashcroft filed incorporation papers for the Mark Twain Company, with $5,000 in capital stock. Clemens, Ashcroft, and Isabel Lyon were the original officers. Sam signed a document assigning and transferring all of his literary rights to the new corporation.
December 23 Wednesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Dec. 10 of L.M. Powers. “Published without my consent; & promptly suppressed. SLC /Don’t know where to find this one. It was a political brochure” [MTP].
December 24 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam inscribed a copy of P&P to Ossip Gabrilowitsch: “To Ossip Gabrilowitsch, all good wishes & a Merry Christmas, from the Author. Stormfield, Dec. 24/08” [MTP].