April 29 Wednesday – Henry Alden for Harper & Brothers wrote to Sam that he had not fixed a price on his MS “Mental Telegraphy” — how much compensation did Sam expect? Alden liked it, “of course” but didn’t feel it had the value that a humorous story from Mark Twain would have [MTP].

April 30 Thursday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Orion Clemens. Text lost.

Mollie Clemens wrote to Sam and Livy, in the aftermath of Sam’s refusal to go to Charles Webster’s funeral in Fredonia.

May – Sam inscribed a photograph of himself to Sergei Mikhailovich Kravchinsky [MTP]. In his notebook he inserted a literary notion: “Remember Bayard Taylor in the Holsatia” [NB 30, TS 36]. Note: see entries for Taylor and the Holsatia in Vol. I.

Sometime during the month from Hartford, Sam sent a one-liner to “J.H.” not further identified.

By the test of double-postage he shall be tried! [MTP].

May 1 Friday – Henry M. Alden for Harper & Brothers sent Sam $500 for the “Mental Telegraphy” article, which was published in the December issue of Harper’s. Sam had allowed Alden to set the price for the article [MTNJ 3: 620n168].

Katherine Jones for Elmira College Alumnae Assoc. sent Sam an invitation to lunch at Clark’s in N.Y.C. May 9. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Brer, decline it” [MTP].

May 2 Saturday – In Hartford Franklin G. Whitmore wrote for Sam to Henry S. Alden, responding to his May 1 letter. Sam desired Whitmore to say that Frederick J. Hall handled such matters, and Alden’s letter was forwarded to him [MTP].

Sam’s notebook: May 2. Finished the book which I began to write on Feb. 20. 71 days [3: 621]. Note: The American Claimant. (Editorial emphasis.)

May 3 Sunday – The Clemenses hosted William Milligan Sloane and wife on an overnight stay. †

Sam T. Kinney wrote on mourning-bordered pages thanking Sam for sympathy extended [MTP].

May 4 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall about possible buyers for The American Claimant, which Sam had drafted in a very short time at a 70-75,000-word length.

I don’t think very much of [Edward W.] Bok’s offer. He has engaged a short story of Mr. Howells at $5,000 & Howells has sold the use of a long story to the N.Y. Sun for $10,000.

May 5 Tuesday – William Milligan Sloane, professor of history at Princeton University, wrote his thanks to the Clemenses for his recent visit. Though the actual dates are not known or mentioned it was often a habit to have guests stay the weekend, or May 2-3 [MTNJ 3: 622n179].

May 6 Wednesday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam about the Memory-Builder game:

I have talked with one or two toy stores. They are willing to take any reasonable quantity we want to send them on sale, but they will not buy very many of them to start with; they say they want to see how the public will take it up [MTNJ 3: 612n137]. Note: The public was not wild about the game and Sam would eventually regret connecting his name to it (Mar. 8, 1892 to Hall).

May 7 Thursday – Charles W. Stoddard wrote to Sam asking him to grant an interview to his English friend (unspecified) [MTHL 2: 646n5].

May 8 Friday – E. Sparhawk wrote on Mutual Life Ins letterhead hoping he was not “presumptuous in asking you to loan me one hundred fifty dollars.” Sam wrote on the envelope, “Can’t do it. No answer.” [MTP].

May 9 Saturday – Samuel Clemens drew up a will on this date. Livy would prepare hers in early June. Neither document is extant [MTNJ 3: 622].

Charles J. Langdon wrote to Sam sending an enclosed assignment to be signed for the Clearfield stock “which was to be given up to secure the new bonds” [MTP].

May 11 Monday – In Hartford Sam submitted an article to Henry M. Alden, editor of Harper & Brothers in N.Y.

See if this will do to fill a narrow corner in the holiday number. It was told to Rev. Jo. Twichell here, years ago, by the English clergyman who figures in it…. [MTP]. Note: the article in question was likely “Luck,” which Harper’s Monthly published in August.

Sam also wrote to an unidentified man, probably a newspaper or magazine reporter or editor seeking an interview or opinion:

May 12 Tuesday – Cyrus Curtis, publisher of Ladies Home Journal, increased the offer for the serialization of The American Claimant from $4,000 to $6,000. Sam accepted (on May 13) but problems would develop in coordinating the English and American installments [MTNJ 3: 625n192].

Henry M. Alden for Harper & Brothers wrote to Sam a note enclosing a $100 check for the piece “Luck,” which Alden wrote would make two pages in the magazine [MTP].

May 13 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote two letters to Frederick J. Hall about an offer to serialize The American Claimant.

May 14 Thursday

.Check # Payee Amount [Notes]

5259 Dr. M.J. Black 21.50

5260 E. Simmons 9.75

5261 Messrs. Allyn & Blanchard & Co 62.00

5262 The Players 10.00 Club dues

May 15 Friday – John J. Corning, “Commercial Paper 96 Broadway” wrote to Sam offering 150 shares of Goodyear Shoe Machinery stock at $65, Sam wrote on the envelope, “Answer him, Brer” [MTP].

Frederick J. Hall wrote a brief note to Sam, “favor received,” and made a note not to pay O’Neill until July 1. He also noted what Sam said about syndicating the story, and hadn’t heard from Bok regarding an appointment but thought he’d hear during the day [MTP].

May 16 Saturday – The Boston Journal Supplement, p.1 published an interview of Sam by Edward W. Bok, “Literary Leaves: ‘Mark Twain’ to Live Abroad for Two Years.”

May 17 Sunday – H.G. Rector wrote from N.Y. to Sam — a begging letter for a sick daughter [MTP].

May 18 Monday – Likely the day referred to by Sam in his May 20 to Frederick J. Hall, on which Samuel S. McClure (1857-1949), sent by William Mackay Laffan, came to Hartford to make an offer for Sam’s letters from Europe. McClure also sought The American Claimant for his European syndicate. Sam told McClure he was agreeable but to see Hall for the details [May 20 to Hall].

May 19 Tuesday –William Dean Howells wrote from Boston after reading in the newspapers that Sam was going to Europe. Sam had kept the plans private, telling only family and Frederick J. Hall.

I hope this is not ill health or ill luck that is taking you, but I am so worried about where to place myself here for the summer, that I almost wish I was sick or sorry enough to go to Europe, too.

May 20 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam responded to William Dean Howells’ May 19.

May 21 Thursday – In New York, Frederick J. Hall met with Samuel S. McClure who offered $12,000 to serialize The American Claimant in both the U.S. and abroad. The final contract gave McClure world serial rights with publication to begin Jan. 1, 1892. The story would run three months; Sam would retain copyright and could then publish as early as Mar. 15, 1892 [MTNJ 3: 625n192].

May 22 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote a follow-up note to Julius Chambers of the N.Y. World. “Upon reflection” Sam felt he had “so little time left” (in the country) that he could not “sell any of it at all.” He felt there might be “more leisure” in “some future year” [MTP].

May 23 Saturday – Godfrey Egremont wrote to Mark Twain asking “why in German the sun is feminine — die Sonne — and the moon masculine — der Mond?” When he asked Germans they told him that Mark Twain knew “all about it” and wrote of it in a “valuable appendix –numbered II, I fancy, to a well-known ethnographical work by one of their most famous authors entitled ‘Der Landstreicher Verriest’” [MTP].

Harry Lamb wrote asking for a poem from Sam, who wrote on the envelope, “I don’t know what to say” [MTP].