The November portion of Mark Twain's Three Speeches Tour begins in Boston, Massachusetts,
November 1 - Music Hall, Boston, Massachusetts - "Artemus Ward"
November 1871: Day By Day
November – Sam’s article “A Big Scare” ran in American Publishing Co.’s in-house promotional monthly, American Publisher [Camfield, bibliog.].
November 1 Wednesday – Sam lectured in Music Hall, Boston, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.” Sam wrote from Boston to Livy:
November 2 Thursday – Sam went to the memorable lunch at Ober’s Greek Revival Restaurant on Winter Place, described by William Dean Howells as Sam’s introduction into the Boston literary circle. Ralph Keeler (1840-1873), a young bohemian Sam had known at the Golden Era, organized the lunch. In attendance: publisher James T.
November 3 Friday – Sam lectured in Town Hall, Andover, Mass. – “Artemus Ward”
November 4–5 Sunday – Clemens used Hartford as his base while lecturing in New England, so it’s likely that on this open weekend he returned home to Livy and “cubbie.” Newspapers were calling the Artemus Ward lecture “plagiarism,” and that “Mark Twain is capable of better things.” The critical responses to Sam’s lecture stayed mixed, though Sam tweaked the material.
November 5 Sunday – Elisha Bliss sent Sam a royalty check from the American Publishing Co. [MTP].
November 6 Monday – Sam lectured in Town Hall, Malden, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.”
November 7 Tuesday – Sam traveled the 125 miles back to Hartford.
November 8 Wednesday – Sam lectured in Allyn Hall, Hartford, Conn. – “Artemus Ward.”
November 9 Thursday – Sam won a positive review from the Hartford Courant. Sam lectured in Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.” Sam wrote from Worcester after the lecture, upset that the lecture chairman sat behind him on the stage—“a thing I detest.” Sam had talked to:
November 10 Friday – Sam lectured in Stetson Hall, Randolph, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.” Sam had a “delightful & jolly little audience.” He spent the night in Randolph.
November 11 Saturday – Sam woke at 6 AM and traveled to Boston, where he had breakfast and then wrote Livy at 11 AM. Feeling “rusty & stupid,” Sam wrote:
“You see those country hotels always ring a gong at 6 & another at half-past, & between the two they would snake out Lazarus himself, let alone me, who am a light sleeper when nervous” [MTL 4: 488].
November 12 Sunday – Sam wrote from Boston to Elisha Bliss. He’d enjoyed a good many dinners with Howells, Aldrich and Keeler. Sam directed copies of Innocents be sent to the three men, in care of J.R. Osgood & Co., Boston [MTL 4: 489].
November 13 Monday – Sam lectured in Mechanic’s Hall, Boston, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.”
November 14 Tuesday – Sam lectured in Smyth’s Hall, Manchester, N.H. – “Artemus Ward.”
November 15 Wednesday – Sam lectured in City Hall, Haverhill, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.” Sam wrote from Haverhill after the lecture to Livy.
November 16 Thursday – Sam lectured in City Hall, Portland, Maine – “Artemus Ward.” Sam wrote from Portland to Moses S. Beach, declining an invitation Beach had sent to Livy for the family to stay with the Beaches [MTL 4: 493-4]. Note: It was Mrs. Beach who had disapproved of Sam as a suitor for their daughter Emeline in 1868.
November 17 Friday – At 1 AM in Portland, Maine, Sam wrote a short note to Livy. Sam thought the Portland lecture enjoyable, and the Portland Eastern Argus agreed [MTP].
In the evening Sam lectured in Huntington Hall, Lowell, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.” [MTPO].
November 18 Saturday – With another open weekend, Sam arrived in Hartford in the afternoon or evening and spent the rest of the weekend at home [MTL 4: 493n8].
November 20 Monday – Sam took the morning train from Hartford to New York, and made connections to Philadelphia [MTL 4: 493n8]. Sam lectured in the Academy of Music, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – “Artemus Ward.”
In Hartford, Livy wrote for Sam to Robert M. Howland at the St. Nicholas Hotel in NYC:
Dear Sir
November 21 Tuesday – Sam lectured in Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, New York – “Artemus Ward.” Plymouth was Henry Ward Beecher’s church. Sam evoked “continuous fits of laughter” [MTL 4: 497]. Advertisements like the one that ran on Nov.
November 22 Wednesday – Sam lectured in Washington Hall, Roundout, NY – “Artemus Ward.”
November 23 Thursday – Sam lectured in Court House, Easton, Penn. – “Artemus Ward.”
In MTP a receipt for $53 to W.B. Willard, Hartford dealer in flour, grain & feed.
November 24 Friday – Sam lectured in Reading, Penn. – “Artemus Ward.” The theater of Keystone Opera House, as reported by the Berks and Schuylkill Journal of Nov. 25:
Mark Twain, author of “Innocents Abroad,” delivered a lecture on the “Uncommon-place Characters he has met with” at the Keystone Opera House last evening to a full house.”