Home at Hartford: Day By Day

September 21 Tuesday – David Gray wrote to Sam expressing the “wretched disappointment” that Sam’s telegram brought of Sam’s canceled visit over Clara’s illness; and he hoped “nothing serious is referred to in it, & that you plan for coming will only be postponed a little…Come! Come !! Come !!!” [MTP].

September 21 Wednesday – The Clemens family checked into the Gilsey House (see Sept. 17 to Webster). They spent “a day or two” in New York. Their stay was spent looking after the Kaolatype business and arranging for the redecoration of the Farmington Avenue house, which had been under renovation since March [MTNJ 2: 399n148].

New York weather: 73 to 62 degrees F. No precipitation [NOAA.gov].

September 21 Thursday – Sam telegraphed from Elmira to Charles Webster that he’d received his letter, the result was “convincing” and to “Do with that stuff as your Judgement directs” [MTP].

September 21 Friday – Charles Webster wrote: suggested that Orion “get those 800 events together, 1 event for each year” in the history game [MTP].

September 21 Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Karl Gerhardt, giving permission for him to “go ahead & put the medallion-children in marble” for an exhibition. Sam expected to reach New York City on Thursday evening, Sept. 25 and Hartford on Friday, Sept. 26 [MTP]. Note: Sam was still in Elmira on Wednesday, Sept.

September 21 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Richard Watson Gilder of Century Magazine about using the artist Edward Windsor Kemble for Library of Humor illustrations.

Consound you, I want my artist. I didn’t GIVE him to you, I only lent him. ‘Course I mean Kemble. I shall telegraph him & tell him to go ahead and make my pictures…[MTP from Am. Art Assoc. catalog, May 7, 1928 Item 144].

September 21 Friday – Sam’s notebook: [Chk #] 4322, Sep.21 $100 — JL & Co. [3: 477].

Kingsland Smith for St. Paul Roller Mill Co. wrote to Sam that he’d received his Sept. 1 letter asking to sell his 100 shares of stock, but his “means were so tied up” [MTP].

September 21 Saturday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam, presuming Sam was back in Hartford by now and advising he would leave the next day for Chicago. Hall referred to a representative from a “newspaper syndicate” (likely Bacheller, see below) who’d asked for some extracts from CY, who also claimed the Century urged this. Hall told the man emphatically no, but said he might use the descriptive circular [MTP]. See Johnson’s Sept. 24 to SLC.

September 22 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles S. Fairchild.

Arrived last night, & shall leave again to-day to bring the family home next week.

September 22 Saturday – Sam wrote two letters from Hartford to Charles Webster. One was about the game under development, and a table (secretary) Charles had helped Livy buy that had not arrived, and an order for 300 envelopes with “return to SLC.” Samuel Webster writes that Livy and Charles shared a love of antiques and enjoyed shopping in New York antique shops and auctions [MTBus 221].

September 22 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Orion. He wanted to know more about compositor rates in small towns and the country—what did the fastest man set in 7 ½ hours? He was sorry to hear that his mother was not well [MTP]. Note: Sam wanted this information because the “foreman of the N.Y. Sun” told him some very high em rates were now required, and Sam was calculating how much savings the Paige typesetter offered a newspaper.

September 22 Wednesday – John M. Hay wrote to Sam from Cleveland asking that a McClellan book be sent him C.O.D., if after Oct. 10 to Washington, D.C. He promised not to show the book to anyone until agents began to deliver them. “I must read McClellan’s own story before finishing the chapters concerning him” [MTP]. Note: Hay and John G.

September 22 Thursday – In Hartford Sam wrote what is obviously a response to Laurence Hutton, whose recent letter is not extant.

September 22 Saturday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore and confirmed that the family would “start for New York Monday afternoon.” He was sending home a hat trunk that would get to Hartford before they did and since there was nothing in it but Livy’s things, it could remain unopened [MTP].

September 22 Sunday – In Hartford Sam responded to Howells’ Sept. 19 letter about reading proofs of CY, as well as a follow up written that day or by Sept. 21 (now lost) which approved of Sam’s remarks in the book about the French Revolution. Sam offered that few people would approve of their feelings on the event:

September 22 Monday – Beckwith’s diary notes the Clemens family left for New York [Beckwith’s unpublished papers at the Smithsonian; offered by a MT scholar who wishes to remain unnamed].

A.G. Hales wrote from New South Wales, Australia to Sam, sending his “latest effort in the journalistic line” (not extant). Could Sam drop a line and tell him what he thought? Sam wrote “Smiles” on the envelope, with the quote marks, which may have been the title of the work sent [MTP].

September 22–23 Friday – The Clemens family returned to Hartford, where they found the house in disarray:

September 23 Tuesday – In Elmira, Sam wrote to the editors of the Berkshire County Eagle (Pittsfield, Mass.) to decline an invitation for a supper and social meeting by the journalists. He went a long way around to enlighten the editors on the meaning of “circumstances over which I have no control” [MTLE 4: 101].

Sam also wrote to Mary Mason Fairbanks.

September 23 Thursday – In Elmira, Sam wrote to David Gray, about his plans to visit Buffalo being dashed by Clara’s throat inflammation,  about Livy’s health and his lumbago, about growing older, and about the wonders of the telephone and telegraph. He’d planned to take his P&P manuscript  to discuss it with Gray, who now would have to visit him [MTLE 5: 165].

September 23 Friday – Hattie J. Gerhardt wrote again to Sam and Livy about details of their artwork and their life in Paris [MTP].

Charles Webster to Sam: “I delay writing to Nealy for fear of stirring up Joyce & Goff it seems to me on reflection that we want to buy them out on K. & English patent before we seem to enlarge by employing Nealy.” Two pages on Kaolatype details [MTP].

September 23 Saturday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster, again about the J.S. Ogilvie “bastards”.

September 23 Tuesday – An envelope only survives from Elmira to Karl Gerhardt [MTP].

The Clemens family (without Sam) left Quarry Farm for New York City [MTNJ 3: 57n128]. They stayed at the Brunswick Hotel. Sam stayed behind a day and then went to Philadelphia incognito (see Sept. 24 entry).

September 23 Wednesday – Twichell’s journal reveals how the Twichells and the Clemenses spent this evening:

H[armony] & I dined at M.T.’s where we met Hon. John Russell Young late U.S. Minister to China. The talk was largely of Gen. Grant of whom he had intimate knowledge having made the Great Tour with him and written the book “Around the World with Gen. Grant” But though so well furnished with matter of interest (of various kinds) he was so unskillful a talker as to make the least of it [Yale, copy at MTP].

September 23 Thursday – E.R. Paillon wrote from Booneville, Mo. asking for help in securing a complete set of books by Missouri authors. “I write to all Mo. Authors, I don’t expect to hear from you, know you too well by reputation, but your [sic] ‘on the list’.” Sam wrote on the envelope, “Fellow born in a cow-lot, probably. No answer” [MTP].

September 23 Friday – Sam and Howells’ play, The American Claimant (Colonel Sellers as a Scientist) was performed with Alfred P. Burbank at the Lyceum Theatre in New York [MTNJ 3: 300n1].

The New York Times of Sept. 24, p.5 delivered the bad news:

MR. BURBANK’S ENTERTAINMENT.