September 16 Sunday – The Clemens family was on a weekend jaunt to visit “some English friends” in Cromer, Norfolk, on the coast [Sept. 14 to Pond; Sept. 25 to Fiske]. Note: friends unspecified.
Dorothy T. Stanley wrote to thank Sam for the gift of FE. She told of Mr. Stanley working on the place and sent her regards to Livy and the girls; she hoped they would see them before he left for America, and if he could prevent the election of William Jennings Bryan, perhaps he should go [MTP].
September 17 Sunday – In Sanna, Sweden, Livy wrote to Chatto & Windus, asking they send her at their “earliest convenience” a copy of JA [MTP].
September 17 Monday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall, with Livy adding a line or two and signature. They expressed the “perfect visit” of Hall. Sam recounted an anecdote he read the night before in Domestic Annals of Scotland:
September 18 Monday – In Sanna, Sweden Sam wrote to Mai Rogers Coe, now in London at the Carlton Hotel.
It was a great pleasure to get your note [not extant] this morning & know that you were again within reaching distance of us. Also that you have found Harry & have got him under control. I hope you are not intending to sail before we reach London—which will be the afternoon or evening of Sept. 30. …
September 18 Tuesday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to Frank Bliss, reminding he had not received his July statement and asking it be sent to H.H. Rogers. Sam wrote they would reach New York about Oct. 16 (they arrived on Oct. 15).
September – Sam’s article, “Concerning the Jews” first ran in the Sept. issue of Harper’s . It was collected in The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories (1900) and How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays (1903); a postscript was added to the essay in the English edition of the former as well as later American editions beginning in 1902. See Sept. 15 to Simon Wolf, with notes.
September 19 Tuesday – In Sanna, Sweden Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus, asking them to “send no more postal matter after Sept. 24th / Nor the ‘Chronicle’—it can go to the Queen Anne Mansions” [MTP]. Note: postcard postmarked this date, possibly written earlier.
September 19 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Moberly Bell & wife. Tea & dinner” [NB 43 TS 25].
At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam replied to John Y. MacAlister on several items. Though he would like to write for “Lloyd’s Christmas number,” his contracts debarred him from doing so. He expected the MacAlisters to come to them for a last visit, either “some evening, or eat with us in the hotel when we move to London”; Sam would “leave the particulars” to Livy.
September – Review of Reviews (London) anonymously reviewed The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, p.398. Mostly extracts [Tenney 32].
J.E. Hodder Williams’ article, “Mark Twain” ran in Bookman (London) p.169-74. Tenney: “A very general sketch of MT’s life and works, providing no new information and very little critical comment.”
September 2 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Short Story: American Children playing at royalty” [NB 43 TS 25].
At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam inscribed a copy of The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories and Sketches to Andrew Chatto: “To Mr. Chatto / with the kindest regards of / The Author / London, Sept. 2, 1900” [MTP].
September 20 Thursday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to W.R. Dunn, District Councilor and father of Arthur Dunn, photographer. “I have received your letter & Mr. Ball’s, & you & your son will be welcome.” Sam wrote he would be “up & at leisure” after 9:45 a.m. [MTP: Sotheby’s London catalog, Dec. 17, 1998, Item 128].
September 21 Thursday – The New York Times, p.5 reported that Mark Twain had canceled arrangements to stay in Princeton, N.J., and would spend the winter in London.
September 22 Friday – H.H. Rogers wrote to Sam, the letter not extant but referred to in Sam’s Oct. 4 reply.
September 22 Saturday – Homer Bassford’s article, “The Friends of Mark Twain’s Boyhood,” ran in Saturday Evening Post. Tenney: “Charley Curts remembers school and exploring the cave with Sam Clemens, and describes him as not lazy, but helpful to others; a good story-teller, Sam used to tell the Arabian Nights stories to groups of his friends: Curts, Ed Pierce, Bill Nash, Ben Coontz, ‘Gene Freeman, Ruel Gridley, Tom Blankenship, and John Meredith.
September 23 Saturday – In Sanna, Sweden Sam added a PS to his Sept. 15 to H.F. Gordon Forbes: “P.S.—8 days later—Sept. 23.
I learn this morning from London, in answer to my inquiries, that you are still at Boulogne—so I need not have waited” [MTP].
September 23 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “La Roche Francis 6 pm./ Mr. & Mrs. Lart 5 pm.” [NB 43 TS 26]. Note: Claude de La Roche Francis, author of the 1902 London Historic and Social.
At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam finished his Aug. 20 letter to John Tatlock, which he perhaps mislaid since:
September 24 Sunday– In Sanna, Sweden Sam wrote to Andrew Chatto, asking him to reach Madame Dreyfus, suggesting she see Kellgren to “bring back health & strength to her husband.” Sam claimed to have spent 20 minutes each morning for the past ten weeks in Dr. Jonas Henrick Kellgren’s “work-room watching him perform upon his patients,” and that he made some 7,000 words of notes. He told of Nathaniel Rothshchild, the daughter of Mr.
September 24 Monday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam replied to John Y. MacAlister.
It is too bad, & we are as sorry as we can be, but next Saturday we shall be crowding the final packing through, & all hands employed, & too tired to be any use; but don’t you think you can come out to 8 o’clock dinner to-morrow night? We hope you can, & you will tell me to-morrow, when we meet at Plasmon House, Duke street.
September 25 Tuesday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to Charles L. Atchison.
I do not know how to thank you enough for sending me Mr. Archer’s compact & virile article. A compliment from him is gold, 98 fine.
September 26 Tuesday – In Sanna, Sweden Sam wrote to William Dean Howells, advising him to learn his lectures by heart, and describing “a trick” he learned in Vienna, by accident—to carry a book and use it to talk with, gesture with and making it seem he was not reading it. Sam also had read the recent installment of Howells’ Their Silver Wedding Journey in Harper’s, which he thought “delicious— every word of it. You haven’t lost any of your splendid art” [MTHL 2: 705-6].
September 26 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Moberly Bell—to meet Lord Cromer—8.15. Will Mrs. C. come too?
8 at Chatto, 2 at A & NA / Library on steamer? / Labels to 15 Cockspur. / Better 60 days of Dollis than a cycle of Cathay” [NB 43 TS 26]. Note: Gribben connects this with Frank Stockton’s novel, A Bicycle of Cathay (1900) now being serialized in Harper’s [666].
September 27 Wednesday – In Sanna, Sweden Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers. On the left corner of the envelope: “Dear Mr. Rogers: Won’t you please examine & correct the enclosed & send it to Gilder & ask him to cable?” [MTP; not in MTHHR]. Note: the enclosed is not known.
Jonas Henrick Kellgren Osteopath billed Sam £300.6.0 for “treatment board and lodging to the 27 Sept. inclusive” [1899 Financial file MTP].
September 27 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Evening dress. / Call for me at 7.30. / Kensal Rise / Reading Room. / ‘I thank you’ Dresden” [NB 43 TS 26].
Sam spoke briefly at the opening of a new reading room in Kensal Rise, London.
I formally declare this reading room open, and I think that the legislature should not compel a community to provide itself with intelligent food, but give it the privilege of providing it if the community so desires.
September 28 Thursday – The Clemens family likely spent the day in Götenburg.
September 28 Friday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to John Y. MacAlister asking him to look at the enclosed (not specified) and to post it if it was all right. Sam was unable to get into London on this day and wrote he might not get in the next day, but would see Mac on Monday [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Frank E. Oldis.