January 31 Saturday – William Oliver Fuller, Jr. (J.O. Fuller, Jr.) wrote to Sam from Rockland, Maine. “Mr Aldrich has sent me your letter commenting upon the newspaper clipping I mailed you. I gather from your letter that you were not pleased with my sorry attempt to joke. The thing on my part arose out of our visit to Mr. Aldrich some months ago and the subsequent fooling over lost umbrellas and slippers—which possibly you recall.” Fuller felt that if he had overdone the joke, then he was apologetic [MTP].
To The Person Sitting in Darkness: Day By Day
February – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam replied with one line to Frederick A. Duneka: “This is a most dam good Conclusion—put it in, Duneka / SLC” [MTP].
Prof. William Milligan Sloane wrote from NYC to Sam. “I want you here on March 5th at one o’clock to lunch with Sidney Lee and I want you very badly. Do come, there will be some of your best friends.” Hearing “conflicting accounts” of Livy, Prof. Sloane hoped she was no worse but much better [MTP].
February 1 Sunday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Emilie R. Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers).
Mrs. Clemens’s delight in those magnificent roses reached standard. I know it would when I saw them downstairs. I promised to thank you for them the first thing in the morning, & send you her love.
February 2 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y.: Sam’s notebook: “33d wedding anniversary. I was allowed to see Livy 5 minutes this morning, in honor of the day. She makes but little progress toward recovery, still there is certainly some, we are sure” [NB 46 TS 9; also MTB 1195].
February 3 Tuesday – Sam wrote check # 30 to American Plasmon Co. for $10,000 for a total of $25,000 as he had subscribed [NB 46 TS 5]. Note: canceled check survives.
J.C. Woodbury wrote from NY to Sam, enclosing a list (not extant) of Christian Science books.
Woodbury suggested days he was free, should Sam want to confer. His phone was Riverdale 1182 [MTP].
February 4 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote two notes to Livy.
February 5 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote per Isabel Lyon to Howard E. Wright, enclosing the following cablegram: “Plasmon Co. London / Am greatly alarmed by letters charging criminal concealments upon the directors. What is the explanation[?]” Sam had heard nothing from Samuel Bergheim, the London director, and suggested leaking the cable to the press. He thanked Wright for obtaining Hillier’s name and address [MTP]. Note: Sam had begun to smell a rat in the Plasmon Co.
February 6 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Emilie R. Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers).
“Yes, dear Mrs. Rogers, Sunday the 15th , that is the date. If you will be good enough to telephone me an hour before you leave home I will roust out the Riverdale ambulance so that you won’t have to walk up from the station” [MTHHR 518].
Sam also wrote to Samuel M. Bergheim, enclosing a copy of the cable shared with Wright on Feb. 5.
February 7 Saturday – Albert Levering’s article “The Man Who Corrupted Eddyville. Being Some Account of the Troubles which Beset Mark Twain During His Quest for Mrs. Eddy’s Book,” ran in Harper’s Weekly, p.215. Tenney: “A cartoon sequence in which several Christian Scientist booksellers and Mary Baker Eddy herself refuse to sell or give a copy of Science and Health to MT, who appears disguised as various characters from his books” [38].
February 9 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote per Isabel Lyon to William Dean Howells. “I don’t hear anything from anybody about the “Tom Sawyer” play. In the meantime has Paul Kester ever looked at the “American Claimant” as the basis for a play? [MTP; Not in MTHL].
Sam’s notebook:
February 10 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Paul Kester in Accotink, Va. Only the envelope survives, but the subject matter was undoubtedly the same as he put to Howells on Feb. 9 [MTP].
February 11 Wednesday – Edward Bergiz wrote from Kivik, Sweden to Sam asking for his “monogram” [MTP].
Frederick A. Duneka of Harpers wrote to Sam.
“There should be an interval of six weeks between the receipt of a MS. and the publication of the book. This can be cut down, of course, but not very much. It is wise to issue the Christian Science volume not later than the last of April. Will this impose too great a burden upon you [?]”[MTP].
February 12 Thursday – William Dean Howells wrote a spoof to Sam of a dream he’d had:
February 13 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam responded to William Dean Howells’ dream by playing along and extending the joke.
I am infinitely sorry. I was lying awake at the time, & felt sure I heard voices; so sure, that I put on a dressing-gown & went down to inquire into the matter, but you were already gone. I encountered Sam coming up as I turned the lower corner of the house, & he said it was a stranger, who insisted on seeing me— “a stumpy little gray man with furtive ways & an evil face.”
February 14 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a Valentine’s Day note to Livy.
Feb. 14—being St. Valentine’s Day.
And so this is to my Valentine—my especial Valentine & darling & best beloved—with kisses therewith, many! I have read that ½ page. Mr. Bryant was wonderful to do those early risings & all that at 80. If ever I get to be 80, I mean to do them, too. Go to bed, Livy darling, & sleep well—I shall get up as early as I can, & go out & get fresh air.
February 15 Sunday – Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Rogers came to the Clemens home for a visit [Feb. 6 to E. Rogers]. Sam’s notebook: “The Rogers? Send cab, ? lunch” [NB 46 TS 11].
February 16 Monday – Sam wrote to Henry Elias Howland, former Supreme Court Justice, president of the University Club, popular and witty speaker, declining an unspecified invitation due to his wife’s health. [MTP; Bauman Rare Books, Jan. 23, 2009 online].
Sam sent his butler to the Oppenheimer Institute to take the cure for his problems with alcohol. He would return inebriated a week later with the bill for the Institute’s services [Nov. 1905 to Oppenheimer Inst.]
February 18 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Mrs. Edward M. McCook, in Old Point Comfort, Virginia, where Jean Clemens had been recuperating from her bout with pneumonia.
February 21 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Poultney Bigelow.
February 23 Monday – Sam’s butler (perhaps Claude) returned from the Oppenheimer Institute. From the UC Berkeley 1973 Christian Science footnotes:
February 24 Tuesday – Fatout lists a speech at the William Dean Howells dinner in Boston for Sam on this day, but gives no particulars and none were found [MT Speaking 672].
Sam’s notebook: “Submerged fame” [NB 46 TS 11].
Rogers dictated a letter to Sam.
I have your letters, and will make the appointment for the review of the article in the “Cosmopolitan.” I note what you say in regard to jury duty, and will endeavor to get you relieved.
February 25 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frank Bliss on the bottom left corner of Rogers’ Feb. 24 letter: “I have this moment telephoned Mr. Duneka and asked him to send you an authorization to use the ‘Russian Passport’ in your forthcoming volume, and he said he would attend to it at once. Go ahead and put it in” [MTHHR 519n2]. Note: Bliss questioned whether he would be allowed to include “The Belated Russian Passport” in Vol. 23 of Mark Twain’s autograph edition of works.
February 26 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Paul Kester in Accotink, Va. acknowledging receipt of a MS for a play [MTP].
Hamlin Garland wrote from NY to Sam, that he’d paid the driver “amply” and that they enjoyed the visit to Sam’s house, “There was only one person lacking—Mrs. Clemens,” and he hoped that warmer weather might bring her relief [MTP].
February 27 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a good night note to Livy. “Feb. 27—p.m. The ashcats have gone their rooms; I have come to mine; the day is done, it is time for reading, smoking, reflection, sleep—with you for text & undertone, dear sweetheart, whom I love—& so, with a kiss, & another, & others, beside, Good night & pleasant dreams. / Y” [LLMT 342].
February 28 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.
Consound it, Clara tells me the Rices are coming here to dinner Tuesday Evening March 3, an engagement 2 weeks old, & swears she told me of it at the time–which is mere sickroom veracity; she never told me till to-day.
I am sorry to miss going with you to see the General, & so is Mrs. Clemens.