February 6 Sunday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood, announcing that Livy had informed him he was “going to the Papyrus orgie.”
“A remark of that sort, emanating from that quarter, has this resemblance to the moving of the precious question: it is not debatable” [MTP].
February 7 Monday – Western Union bill of Feb. 28 shows a message sent to New York, recipient unspecified.
Pamela Moffett wrote to Sam, noting she’d rec’d two letters from him on Feb. 6, and thanked him and Mr. Chamberlaine for their interest in Sammy Moffett, who was in Calif. She told of more friction with Ella Lampton—Orion was charmed by her but Mollie not so much. Ma sent her love… [MTP].
February 8 Tuesday – William A. Wood, atty. in Kingston, Mo. wrote to Sam, again pestering him for a copy of IA which Wood claimed had been promised. It would seem this time Sam never opened the letter, and someone later (Paine?) did so [MTP].
February 9 Wednesday – Sam and James R. Osgood signed a contract for the publication of The Prince and the Pauper [MTNJ 2: 382n76].
Western Union bill of Feb. 28 shows a message sent to New York, recipient unspecified.
February 11 Friday – George Gebbie failed to make his postponed Hartford appointment with Sam, who concluded not to deal with him again (see Feb. 15 entry to Howells) [MTHL 1: 350n1].
Western Union bill of Feb. 28 shows a message sent to New York, recipient unspecified.
February 12 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood pressing him to work out a contract with George Gebbie, a Philadelphia subscription publisher who had approached Sam to edit an encyclopedia of American humor. Sam had cooled on the project, especially after Gebbie had postponed a Feb. 4 appointment and failed to show on Feb. 11.
February 13 Sunday – In Belmont, Mass., Howells wrote to Sam. After resigning as Atlantic editor, Howells now announced an agreement with Osgood for a weekly salary enough to afford him full time for writing. His daughter, Winny, was better, and was in Boston with the wife [MTHL 1: 348-9].
February 15 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells, who wrote on Feb. 13. He was through dealing with George Gebbie, since the man had not shown for his Feb. 11 appointment; Sam would only deal with him through Osgood.
February 15–18 Friday – Sometime between these dates, Sam and Livy spent a “couple of days” in New York City, but were back in Hartford by Feb. 19. (See Feb. 15 or 16 entry, & Feb. 19).
T.W. Alexander billed Sam $28.05 for 1,870 lbs of hay @ 30 per ton; paid [MTP].
February 16 Wednesday – Joe Twichell wrote to Sam:
February 17 Thursday – Western Union bill of Feb. 28 shows a message sent to New York, recipient unspecified.
Bissell & Co. wrote to Sam, receipting him for 500 shares of Am. Exchange in Europe, enclosing the certificate [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Receipt for paid-up stock in American Exchange Europe. $5,000”
February 18 Friday – Joe Twichell wrote from Hartford to Sam. “All right, and I’m a thousand times obliged to you. Stevens (the Committee on Entertainment) says I had better not advertise you on Sunday, or that makes it next to impossible to keep it out of the papers. I’ll speak of it at the Monday Evening meeting. But there’ll be folks enough there, no fear of that. Governor Bigelow is going to be invited, for one.
February 19 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Edward House. He’d read rumors in the newspapers that Howells, no longer editor of the Atlantic, might be “going to Switzerland as our Minister.” He added:
“I hope it is true. Winny’s health is getting mighty bad & that country would build her up” [MTHL 1: 350n2].
February 21 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells, describing at length the account of Hattie Gerhardt coming to their home, the trips to their apartment, and the ultimate decision to send them to Paris, where Karl would take lessons in his art. Sam agreed to support the Gerhardts for three years. “They will sail a week or ten days from now,” Sam wrote.
February 22 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Hattie Gerhardt sending enclosed sheets for Karl Gerhardt to sign and return to Sam for use in sending a letter of credit for the Gerhardts at European banks. Sam wrote that he was going to Boston the next day and return Friday [MTP].
Western Union bill of Feb. 28 shows a message sent to New York, recipient unspecified.
February 23 Wednesday – Sam traveled to Boston [MTHL 1: 350, 360n3].
Robert J. Burdette wrote from Syracuse, NY., stuck in a snowstorm and unable to lecture this night in Union Springs, “where ever it is to night.” He felt Twain had “abandoned the rostrum too soon,” as this was the “boss” winter. “I am going up town to hear the Jubilee Singers”. After his signature he drew a humorous sketch of a train buried by snow.
February 24 Thursday – Sam gave a dinner speech at the Papyrus Club Dinner, Revere House, Boston, for the annual “Ladies’ Day” [Fatout, MT Speaking 148-50]. The speech was a funny account about no vacancies on a sleeping-car. Sam was given a sleeping car berth when a colored porter recognized him as a famous man. The only problem was, the porter thought Sam was “Jennul McClellan.”
February 25 Friday – Sam gave a reading at Twichell’s Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford. He wrote of this reading in his Feb. 27 letter to Howells:
“…the thing that went best of all was Uncle Remus’s Tar Baby” [MTLP 394-5].
Sam also wrote from Hartford to Charles Perkins asking if he had “Mills’s agreement for Colorado.” This was a contract for Kaolatype work. Sam requested a copy [MTP].
February 26 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Edward F. Noyes (U.S. Minister to France), asking for a U.S. passport for Karl Gerhardt, as a “kindness” to himself, Charles Dudley Warner and Quincy Ward, the sculptor [MTP].
Sam also wrote a letter of introduction for Karl Gerhardt to Any U.S. Representative or Other Friend of Mine [MTP].
February 27 Sunday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells.
February 28 Monday – Through the efforts of Cadet Andrew G. “Beaut” Hammond, Hartford neighbor and member of Twichell’s congregation, Sam visited West Point with Twichell. Sam gave readings: “Clarence and Eugene,” “How I Escaped Being Killed in a Duel,” and “Cure for Stammering” [Leon 35-50; MTLP 394]. Twichell noted the event in his journal; he gave an address in the ceremonies, given by the literary society of the U.S. Military Academy:
March – Sometime during the month Sam revived a burlesque etiquette manual he’d begun in 1879. Howells encouraged him to finish it. After nearly 100 pages, Sam abandoned the work [MTNJ 2: 398n145].
March 1 Tuesday – Sam and Twichell were still at West Point. From Twichell’s journal:
The next forenoon we spent several hours, under Gen. Howard’s kind conduct, in looking over the institution, and were impressed most favorably with every thing from the mathematical instruction to the equestrian exercise.
March 2 Wednesday – In the evening, Sam and Twichell returned home from West Point [MTP letter Mar. 3 to Anthony]. Twichell’s journal notes Sam and Joe “returned home charmed with our visit…” [Yale, copy at MTP].
Goertz Bros. “Sole agents for Lion Brewery,” Hartford, billed $7.90 for 10 & ½ doz. of pilsner beer @ .75; paid [MTP].
March 3 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to A.V.S. Anthony (1835-1906), Osgood’s design director who was also an engraver.
“I don’t know what the size of the new work [P&P] will be. I suggest that it be the size & shape of ‘Sketches, Old & New’—I think Osgood approves” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Howells.