October 12 Friday – In Boston, William Dean Howells wrote a short note to Sam, advising,
“As soon as I mentioned our plan for a play, Mrs. Howells nobly declared that she would do anything for money, and that I might go to you when I liked” [MTHL 1: 444].
October 13 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster. He wrote more on the progress of the history board game, and advised that “Livy’s little table which you & she bought has not arrived yet, & is a week overdue.” He also wanted more envelopes with “return to SLC” printed on them [MTP].
October 14 Sunday – Paine relates an 1883 meeting at Sam’s home with Protap Chunder Mozoomdar, brought to meet Mark Twain by Rev. Dr. Edwin P.
October 15 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster. Orion’s “skeletons” for the board game had arrived, though he’d been sick. He sent them on to Webster. Sam noted a check received from American Publishing Co. and that they’d “sold as many old books in the last 3 months as Osgood has new ones.” Also, the secretary for Livy had arrived [MTBus 223].
October 16 Tuesday ca. – Sam typed a letter in Hartford to Howells:
“TWICHELL AND I WENT DOWN TO NEW BRITAIN, BUT FOUND NOBODY DOWN THERE IN THE AGRICULTURAL MANUFACTURING BUSINESS. HOWEVER, THEY TOLD ME WHITHER TO GO…” [MTP]. Sam set Webster on the task, whatever it was.
October 17 Wednesday – Howells responded to Sam’s Oct. 15 letter, agreeing that Sam’s terms were “good and just.” He added that Colonel Sellers had “a great play in him yet” [MTHL 1: 446].
October 18 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster. He thought the game board was “excellent” and suggested “one possible improvement” dealing with the dates of several reigns. He directed a “few copies” to be printed, “25 is plenty—& keep several for you & Annie to experiment with.” Sam was waiting for the right timing to “contract with Bliss for the new book” [MTP].
October 19 Friday – Sam wrote to Worden & Co., stockbrokers; note not extant; referred to in Oct. 23.
October 23 Tuesday – Chatto & Windus wrote to Clemens with statement of account and book sales, royalties of £904.7.11 [MTP].
Orion Clemens wrote all about the history game research he was working on [MTP].
** Worden & Co. wrote receipt of Sam’s Oct. 19 order to buy 100 shs O.T. @ 25 [MTP].
October 25 Thursday – Charles Webster wrote about business matters: canvassing of books; business now good; suggestion to leave 14,000 books bound for the trade [MTP].
October 28 Sunday – Sam wrote Orion, letter not extant but referred to in Orion’s Nov. 1 reply.
October 29 Monday – Bissell & Co. per George H. Burt wrote they’d received Sam’s acceptances made by Osgood & Co. for $20,000, and had credited his account for that amount [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “$20,000 acceptances”
Charles Webster wrote to Clemens: Proof sheets on English History sent; negotiations for 10,000 LM with Watson Gill [MTP].
October 30 Tuesday – Charles Webster wrote about business matters: contract signed with Watson Gill “to act as my agent in the trade” [MTP].
October 31 Wednesday – Hubbard & Farmer bankers & brokers sent a statement with Nov. 1 balance of $22,949.11 [MTP].
November 1 Thursday – In Boston, Howells wrote to Sam of his plans to come for a visit on Nov. 3 [MTHL 1: 447].
Orion Clemens wrote to Sam having rec’d his Oct. 28th. Ma went to a 90 year old’s party and they were all well. He worked 4 hrs a day on the Kings [MTP].
November 2 Friday – Margaret Meestenmacher wrote from St. Louis to ask Sam & Livy for funds to help her church. Evidently she’d known the Langdons [MTP].
November 3 Saturday – After receiving Howells’ Nov. 1 letter about coming to Hartford, Sam telegraphed from Hartford to Howells for him to “Come Wednesday” [MTHL 1: 447]. Sam expected “an important telegram” the same day (from Howells? Or, possibly from Raymond or Webster) but it did not arrive (see Nov. 7 entry).
November 4 Sunday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells, further explaining his telegram of the previous day:
“…Mrs. Clemens has a menagerie on her hands from now till Tuesday Evening—the preparation & achievement of a big lunch party of old ladies to meet her mother.”
November 5 Monday – The missing telegram from Howells turned up at the telegraph office (see Nov. 7 entry).
Kate D. Barstow wrote what is now a letter too faded to read. Likely another request for funds for activities beyond her medical training, because Sam wrote on the env., “No” [MTP].
November 7 Wednesday – This article ran in the Hartford Times (and Nov. 9 in the New York Times, p4, below), documenting the missing telegram:
THE TELEGRAM THAT WAS “MISLAID”
From the Hartford (Conn.) Times, Nov. 7
November 8 Thursday – Francis Hopkinson Smith for Pedestal Fund Exhibition wrote about his plan to read “that letter” to a group, “ if it don’t send every mother’s son of them home with a sore back, I’m a Dutchman” [MTP].
November 11 Sunday – The New York Times ran this article:
MARK TWAIN ON COPYRIGHT LAW.
November 12 Monday – In Hartford, Sam typed a note to Andrew Chatto, acknowledging receipt of “904 pounds, 7 shillings and 11 pence.” He expected to talk contracts on the new book (HF?) in about a month, and accepted their word on pricing their edition of TA [MTP].
November 13 Tuesday – Western Union per W.C. Hamstone, J.H. Lounsbury wrote in response to a report in the NY Times that a telegram had been lost/delayed. He claimed from reports he’d rec’d that “our service was properly performed,” the telegram phoned to his residence at about 4 pm Nov. 3, the date it was sent from Boston by Howells [MTP].
November 14 Wednesday – In the evening Sam and Livy and Howells attended a Hartford reception for Matthew Arnold (1822-1888), who was to lecture in Hartford the next day. Arnold had lectured in Boston on Nov. 7 and would repeat the talk there on Nov.