July 8 Tuesday – In York Harbor, Maine, Sam’s notebook again contains ideas for the 50 years after story: “Shooting the bird in the tree—no more murders. The boys discuss it. / Partridges in fall on houses / [line separating:] Make this brief: Tom’s selling Huck as a nigger. See the discarded Conspiracy [Line separating:] Reading 3 Spaniards at 2 a.m.—Cat” [NB 45 TS 20-21].
To The Person Sitting in Darkness: Day By Day
July 9 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine, Sam’s notebook again contains ideas for the 50 years after story: “Debating Society. Guts & all (Sid). Sally Robards—pretty [sic]. Describe her now in her youth & again in 50 ys After when she reveals herself. / Cadets & Doughnuts. / The little cigarman—dead in his chair” [NB 45 TS 21].
July 10 Thursday – In York Harbor, Maine, Sam’s notebook again lists old Hannibal acquaintances for the 50 years after story: “John Briggs, Will, Sam, Bart, John Bowen | Ed Stevens, Bill Coffman | George, Clay, John Robards Jane & Sally Robards. Ray Moss & Neil, Mary. | Artemissa Briggs Mary Miller, Laura Hawkins | Becky Pavey & Pole / ‘Pig-tail done’ tavern | Bladder-time. Weeds. / Offal given away at porkhouse” [NB 45 TS 21].
July 11 Friday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.
July (?) Friday (?) 11th (?) ’02
Dear Mr. Rogers:
July 12 Saturday – Sam’s notebook contains more ideas/memories for the 50 years after story: “Boy hatched bird’s eggs in his mouth. Put it on Tom. Clock-machine to blow up something. / Nicodemus. / doughface, but scare no one mad. / Ghost on the stairs—mine. Walking in sleep—in sheet. / Shroud was used, then” [NB 45 TS 21].
July 13 Sunday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Charles Bancroft Dillingham, who represented theatrical managers Klaw and Erlanger. On July 27 Sam would approve Lee Arthur’s play of HF, a musical comedy [NB 45 TS 22].
A thousand thanks for remembering!
I’m going to send your cane the minute Mrs. Clemens (who is not very well this last day or two) prepares it & labels it for the express.
July 14 Monday – In York Harbor, Maine, Sam’s notebook contains more ideas/memory snippets for the 50 years after story : “The Hyde ruffians with their uncle down. / Mrs. Mann murderess / Haunted house—same as in Va. City. We are all assembled as ghosts when a new one arrives whom we had not counted on, for some reason. He frightens us to death & himself. ‘You to play ghost—you ain’t got judgment enough to play a live person” [NB 45 TS 22].
July 15 Tuesday – In York Harbor, Maine, Sam’s notebook contains ideas/memory snippets for the 50 years after story: “The long ash on the cigar proves that there had been no struggle. / Aunt Betsy Smith, a dear old thing. Nigger show. / Our masterless ‘boy’s dog’” [NB 45 TS 22].
July 16 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Isaac Kaufmann Funk (1839-1912), Lutheran minister, editor, lexicographer, publisher and founder of Funk & Wagnalls, Co. in 1890. “Maybe you let a body have a cloth copy for less than $10 when the applicant demands canvasser’s-commission-off. / But I want the book, anyway, if you recommend it” [MTP]. Note: The Standard Dictionary of the English Language published in 1893 was perhaps Funk’s most important work.
July 17 Thursday — Harper & Brothers, sent a royalty statement to Mrs. Clemens totaling $5,358.24 due on Nov. 1, 1902 [MTP]. Sam wrote on the env. “Statement to July ’02. (not including sets) $5,400. Preserve”; this was mailed July 17 but dated June 30.
July 18 Friday – In York Harbor, Sam wrote to an unidentified person. The Camperdown Chronicle of Victoria, Australia, p.5, carried this article, which contains Sam’s reply to a gentleman who had discovered a library in Venice, Italy containing thousands of books yet only one in English, LM.
July 19 Saturday – Speaker Magazine, p. 441-2 , ran a review of “A Double Barrelled Detective Story.” Tenney: “Chiefly descriptive: ‘…shows Mark Twain’s weaknesses as well as his strengths, but at its worst is a story that ought not to be missed’” [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Third Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1979 p. 187].
July 23 Wednesday – Frank Bliss wrote to Sam, that he had to come home (Hartford) “to attend to some matters, but I send this note to let you know that I got that option alright & will see you in course of a couple of days in regard to [it]” [MTP].
American Publishing Co. sent a draft to Livy for $7,364.36, which included $793.35 for sales of old edtions, $4,101.56 for Underwood sets edition, $2,500 colected on sales of “fine limited edtions”—all less $30.55 on books charged [MTP].
July 24 Thursday – Frederick A. Duneka wrote to Sam, enclosing a check for $4,669.20 on the six-book set sold up to June 30, with projected $11,000 additional royalties due Dec. 31, making the total for 1902 of about $16,565.60 [MTP].
July 25 Friday – Livy wrote a short note to Frank Bliss: “The semi-yearly statement and the check for seventy three hundred and sixty four & 36/100 dollars is safely rec’d.Thank you for it” [MTP].
July 26 Saturday – Jean Clemens’ 22nd birthday.
July 27 Sunday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Paul Kester in Accotiuk, Va..
I will refer you to Mr. Erlanger and Miss Marbury. I have told Mr. [Abraham] Erlanger that I would not sanction a Tom Sawyer play until after the staging of Huck Finn (Nov. 2/02) & not then without talking with him about it first. I mention Miss Marbury because she is my agent, & such matters properly pass through her hands [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Klaw & Erlanger, dramatic agents.
July 28 Monday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.
I’m enclosing the check but not the interest. I don’t ever pay interest until I have examined into a thing & ascertained whether there is a legal way of avoiding it or not. I have generally found this to be a good business method.
July 29 Tuesday – In Kittery Point, Maine, William Dean Howells wrote to Sam, jokingly calling him:
Dear Mr. President: / I am sorry that the poem [Howell’s poem, “The Mother” to be published in Harper’s for Dec. 1902] has gone to Harper’s Magazine. If it comes back, either in proof or MS. it shall be sent to Mrs. Roosevelt [Livy] promptly.
This will be handed to you by my son, who will now be satisfied with the Russian embassy [MTHL 2: 743].
July 30 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore. “The proposition to W. suggested in your letter of July 28 is satisfactory. You can make it whenever you think best. I will approve” [MTP]. Note: likely Sidney A. Witherbee who was negotiating for the purchase of the Hartford house.
July 31 Thursday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam replied to L. Fred Silvers’ July 16 of Elizabeth, N.J.
It does indeed interest me—and greatly pleases me, too. Also it squares an old account, heals an old sore, banishes an old grievance: the turning of Huck Finn out of the Concord (Mass) circulating library 17 years ago because he was immoral & said he would stand by Jim & go to hell if he must.
I think your selection of authors is a healthy advance upon the old-time S. S. library menu.
August 1 Friday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Elizaveta N. Malashkina.
Dear Miss Elizabeth. I sent your letter to Paris, to my friend the great pianist Gabrilowitch (if that’s the way he spells his formidable name) & he put it into German for me and returned it. We are summering far from Riverdale, & I haven’t a photograph. But when we go home in October I will get one in New York & Autograph it & send it to you. (I have made a note of it in my note-book). I’ll not forget it [MTP].
August 2 Saturday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Charles Bancroft Dillingham.
There is one change which will be best made before the serious work of revising the play & trimming & compressing it is begun—a change which I thought of when you were here, but which did not then seem really important—but the more I think of it more I perceive that it is important.
August 3 Sunday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers, advising him of the letter of Witherbee’s he was sending, and seeking his advice as to the soundness of the deal.
I am mailing you a letter containing a proposition to buy the Hartford house for $50,000 worth of 5% railroad bonds; & I am telegraphing Whitmore to ask for an appointment & go down & get your judgment as to whether the bonds are safe & sound or not. The price ($50,000) is eminently satisfactory.
August 4 Monday – Harper & Brothers wrote to Livy, advising that Sam’s article on Christian Science she ordered had not been republished in book form; the magazine was out of stock but Mr. A.S. Clark of the City could “supply good second hand copies” at more than 35 cents each [MTP].