January 9 Sunday – Clara Clemens was much better in the morning after “good nursing & dosing.” Sam wrote from Hartford to his mother, Jane Clemens. Another fire began in Jean’s crib in the nursery, started when a spark flew through the fire-screen while Julia (Sam’s personal barber) was in Susy’s room making up a bed.

January 10 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Pamela Moffett, thanking her for books that her son Sam Moffett had sent.

January 12 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to President-elect, James A. Garfield to “speak a word for” Frederick Douglass, who had been appointed U.S. Marshal of Washington in 1877.

January 13 Thursday – The Hartford Courant ran a news article on page two, “The Decorative Art Society” which listed the group’s activities of 1880. Included were three benefit entertainments to replenish the treasury. One of these was a reading by Clemens at the home of Mrs. Samuel Colt in Hartford. [MTHL 1: 346]. Note: this article does not specify what Sam read.

January 14 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells, enclosing George Gebbie’s Jan. 12 letter, which offered to come to Hartford “on the business we have already mooted”—that is, what became the Library of Humor.

January 16 Sunday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Will Clemens (William Montgomery Clemens 1860-1931); no relation, so Sam claimed in 1908—see Nov. 18, 1879 entry), enclosing a note to Will’s unidentified friend who evidently sought advice as to how to live life. Sam answered:

January 17 Monday – In Boston, Howells wrote to Sam, “glad to co-operate” in “Gebbie’s Cyclopaedia” (which became Library of Humor) project. He was “heartily in for it” at the price of $5,000 on terms acceptable to Sam. Howells also mentioned “Two cases of measles,” and “an attack of two publishers,” which referred to James R. Osgood in conflict with Henry O. Houghton after the latter had bought out Osgood.

January 19 Wednesday – The Jan. 31 bill from Western Union shows a telegram sent to Loman? on this date, recipient unspecified (see that entry).

James Wells Champney wrote to Clemens.

January 20 Thursday – The Jan. 31 bill from Western Union shows a telegram sent to So. Man. (South Manchester, Conn.) on this date, recipient unspecified (see that entry).

January 21 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood. Sam had cut the “Whipping-boy’s Story” from P&P and:

January 22 Saturday – Wm. T. Bassett, hairdresser, billed Sam $24.50 for “Dec. 23 up to Jan. 22 for shaving and haircutting, plus 1 lather brush, 1 sponge” [MTP].

January 23 Sunday – Andrew Goodrich Hammond wrote to Sam (“Cadet Hammond”) to fix certain the date of his visit at Feb. 21 [MTP].

January 24 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Mary Mason Fairbanks, who he wished to visit and judge the finished manuscript of P&P—(or was it another?)

January 25 Tuesday – Leo C. Evans wrote to Sam, clipping enclosed from Brooklyn Union Jan. 22, which claimed Evans called on Twain who talked of the “Obelisk” in reality being an “incomplete chimney”. Evans asked the address of Burdette’s manager. (Sam wrote on the env: “From a damned idiot”) [MTP]. See also Apr. 21, 1880 from Evans.

January 26 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Dan Slote, who evidently had passed some Kaolatype business by Sam that he felt was too small for his consideration:

January 27 Thursday – The Connecticut Humane Society receipted Sam $5 as “active member”; Sam paid Geeley’s Wardrobe $6.50 for suit purchased on Dec. 27 [MTP].

Worden & Co., New York stockbroker, telegraphed Sam: “Sold one hundred Western Union eighty two” [MTP].

January 28 Friday – A.H. Hubbard for Hubbard Bros., Phila. wrote to Clemens, also hearing he was going to seek a new publisher and wanted to become his [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Can’t”.

J.R. Jones for National Publishing Co., Phila. wrote to Clemens, hearing he’d “severed” his connection with his old publisher, and offered to publish “a first class work for you” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Can’t”.

January 29 Saturday – Stephen C. Massett wrote from NYC to Sam, enclosing a play bill for his performance in Kimberley, S. Africa. After relating missing Sam at the Brunswick in London, Massett recalled: “What changed! Since Geo. E. Barnes introduce me to you in the “Call” office in 1868!” [MTP]. Sam wrote on the env., “Poor old Jeems Pipes of Pipesville”; Sam replied on Jan. 31.

January 30 Sunday – Based on Saturday Jan. 29 being “three weeks” prior, and from Sam’s account to Howells of Feb. 21, this is the day Charles Warner came to dinner at the Clemens’ home and urged Sam to help Hattie Gerhardt (b. 1863) [MTLP 397].

January 31 Monday – Sam and his servant Patrick McAleer went to the Gerhardt apartment on “the second story of a little wooden house.” Sam inspected a statue of a young woman nude to the waist holding up a towel, “the expression attempted being a modified scare—she was interrupted when about to enter the bath.” (The work was titled “Startled Bather.”) It then became evident that the young wife Hattie Gerhardt had been the model for the statue.

February – Sam inscribed a copy of John Marshall’s (1818-1891) Anatomy for Artists (1878) to Karl Gerhardt, dating the inscription [Gribben 453].

Florence Finch’s (later Kelly) article, “Two American Humorists” ran in The Family Defender Magazine, p. 76-8. Finch compared Mark Twain with Artemus Ward:

February 1 Tuesday – Livy and Clara Spaulding went to the Gerhardts; they fell in love with the young couple and invited them to dinner a few nights later [MTLP 399].

February 2 Wednesday – William Dean Howells ended his twelve-year run with Atlantic Monthly. Thomas Bailey Aldrich succeeded him. Henry Oscar Houghton gained control of the Atlantic. Howells would sign a contract with Sam’s new publisher, James R. Osgood, Howells to produce one novel a year plus shorter pieces for $7,500 annually.

February 3 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to his sister Pamela Moffett, enclosing a letter from Augustus P. Chamberlaine, which recommended a California adviser for Samuel Moffett on his trip west, one Charles Hoar. Sam wrote “We are thriving here…” [MTP].

February 4 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells, who wrote on Jan. 17 that he was “heartily in for” the “Encyclopedia of Humor” project, if he could gain from $3-5,000 for his work, preferably the higher amount as it was “somehow more attractive to the imagination.” Sam wrote: