May 1 Wednesday – Nineteen-year-old Therese Reichenberger wrote to thank Sam for his gracious answer to her prior letter. Sam reminded himself to “write her by & by” on the first page of her letter, and added a listing in his notebook of her Frankfurt address [MTNJ 3: 486&n16].
Reading in Volume 1 of The Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning, Sam noted his progress along the margin on p.225: “Begin here May 1/89” [Gribben 105]. (See Apr. 24, May 15)
May 2 Thursday – Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote to Sam [MTP]. “I do not think the reformation of the agreement with Mrs. Richardson should be delayed longer. I therefore enclose it to you. Do examine it carefully and if there is anything you wish explained bold it and let me know…. I judge from the tone of Mr. Frohman’s letter which I sent you that he was unable to make anything out of what Mr. House had written” [MTP].
May 3 Friday – Thomas S. Fox for Albany Evening Union wrote to Sam inquiring about using the Kaolatype process [MTP].
Jeannette L. Gilder for The Critic wrote to Sam wishing to know “the truth of the case” about the P&P play with Elsie Leslie. She’d received a note from Edward House that he had signed a contract with you about the play. Who had the rights? [MTP].
May 4 Saturday – Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote a short note advising Sam, enclosing a copy of Frohman’s May 3 having to do with who might act in the P&P lead role. Frohman believed it could not be played by someone over the age of 15. [MTP].
May 5 Sunday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam: “I wrote to the Texas ‘cub’ the same day I received your letter. I said what you suggested, on your behalf, and added some personal recollections of his grandparents, whom I remembered. I wrote kindly.” He added family goings on and hope for the typesetter [MTP].
May 6 Monday – Webster & Co. wrote to Sam summarizing current business income and outlays. “The enclosed report explains itself.” No report is with the letter in the file [MTP].
May 7 Tuesday – Sam and Livy attended a Charity Ball, Union for House Work, at the Hartford Foot Guard Armory [MTNJ 3: 468n212]. Sam was on the reception committee, joined by the Governor and other big wigs. The charity supported “reading rooms for boys and girls, a day-nursery, sewing and cooking schools, a clothing-club, lending library,” and affordable tenement houses [438n101].
May 8 Wednesday – In Hartford, Sam wrote a two-sentence note to the editor of The Critic:
One dramatic version of the Prince & Pauper will be put upon the state in the autumn, but not two [MTP].
Note: The editor at this time was Jeannette Leonard Gilder and Joseph Benson Gilder, siblings of the Century’s Richard Watson Gilder.
May 9 Thursday – Sam’s notebook carries an entry about the defeat this day in England’s House of Lords, a bill legalizing marriage between a widower and his deceased wife’s sister. Sam concluded:
Without the Established Church the bill would have had a majority [MTNJ 3: 487].
May 10 Friday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam. Sister Pamela had arrived and he wrote:
We made a confidant of her, after pledging her to secrecy. Afterward your letter of the 7th came. It was just as Pamela was starting for the hack, which had driven to the door. She was made acquainted with the contents of your letter and its printed enclosure…promising to keep silence, and especially by …agreeing to say nothing about the machine… [MTP].
May 11 Saturday – In Hartford, Sam read for the Saturday Morning Club, which included “Isaac Muleykeh,” “King Arthur,” “Interviewer,” and “Christening” [Fatout, MT Speaking 659]. The club met at 10:30 a.m. [MTNJ 3: 472]. Budd calls this last item, “The Christening Yarn” [Collected 1: 938].
May 12 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Horatio C. King wishing he “could be there when you celebrate in Orange, but unfortunately I shall be far away at that time.” King had invited Sam to a New Jersey event for the Society of the Army of the Potomac [MTP].
May 13 Monday – A new contract was signed between Sam and Abby Sage Richardson, this time including Daniel Frohman, for the dramatization of P&P. (See Mar. 25) Fatout writes:
May 14 Tuesday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam asking clarification if he was to “speak to Mr. Stedman with reference to reading” Sam’s new book, CY [MTP].
May 15 Wednesday – Sam made a 7:45 p.m. dinner speech at Jarvis Hall, Trinity College, Hartford for the Ology Club [Fatout, MT Speaking 659]. His notebook entry of “Explosions” under this event notice suggests he may have spoken on the New York City problem of subway explosions caused by gas leaks [MTNJ 3: 473n233].
May 16 Thursday – In Hartford Sam wrote a letter of introduction for his nephew, Samuel Moffett, to Henry M. Alden, of Harper & Brothers. Moffett at this time was an editor on the San Francisco Examiner and was soon to visit. Sam added, “it may be that he can furnish you some magazine of value” [MTP].
May 17 Friday – Alfred Waters wrote from Auckland, NZ to Sam seeking an autograph [MTP].
May 18 Saturday – In Hartford Sam answered the May 11 letter from Edward P. Clark for N.Y. Evening Post, apologizing for the week delay.
Enclosed please find $25. I owe you a thousand apologies for my unpromptness in answering; but during the past ten days I have been in one of those whirlwinds of activity… [MTP]. Note: it was Sam’s habit to answer most mail he intended to answer promptly.
May 19 Sunday – The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p.20, printed an interview, “Mark Twain Chatty: He Tells of His Former Life as a Reporter.” The interview is datelined May 17, but refers to Sam’s February trip to Washington.
May 20 Monday – Edward P. Clark for N.Y. Evening Post wrote acknowledging Sam’s his letter of the 18th and check for $25 toward the Welch Memorial Fund [MTP].
Dean Sage wrote to Sam that he and Parsons would go and inspect the typesetter and if satisfactory would buy some stock in it. He also reported meeting Francis Hopkinson Smith Saturday night [MTP].
May 21 Tuesday – At the Hotel Vendome in Boston, William Dean Howells wrote a short note to Sam, enclosing a letter from Thomas S. Perry, who had taught at Harvard and was a regular reviewer of French and German books for the Atlantic under Howells. Perry’s letter related his and his wife’s time traveling through Italy and enjoying Innocents Abroad. Perry expressed his desire to write a serious article on Mark Twain.
May 22 Wednesday – Sam gave a reading at Hartford’s Unity Hall, part of a benefit for the Talcott Street Church (“colored”), which was raising money for an organ. Sam included, “Skinned Man,” “Mate and Governor Gardiner,” “Whistling,” and “Interviewer” [Fatout, MT Speaking 659; MTNJ 3: 473].
May 23 Thursday – Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote to Sam, advising that “The contract has been executed by Mrs. Richardson and Mr. Frohman and in accordance with your instructions placed in the office safe” [MTP].
May 24 Friday – In Hartford, Sam wrote a long letter of celebration to Walt Whitman for his impending 70th birthday (May 31). The letter (part of Camden’s Compliment to Walt Whitman: May 31, 1889) reflects Sam’s belief in the fallacy of man’s perfectibility as witnessed by the many inventions and breakthroughs Whitman had witnessed in his life. Wait for another 30 years, Sam wrote and Whitman would see “Man at almost his full stature at last!” [MTP].
May 25 Saturday – A.B. Starey for Author’s Club sent a form letter to Sam that “the regular fortnightly meetings of the AUTHORS CLUB have been suspended for Summer recess” [MTP].
F.P. Chapin wrote from N.Y. to Sam that he would be in Hartford on Wednesday to see the Thorne typesetter at the Post Office. “I am told you are interested in a new one, for which orders are claimed, if so will you kindly inform me promptly” [MTP].