April – The North American Review published Sam’s essay, “Does the Race of Man Love a Lord?” It was collected in The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories (1906) [Budd, Collected 2: 1007]. Paine calls this piece “a most interesting treatise on snobbery as a universal weakness” [MTB 1164].
Sam also wrote one of his aphorisms to an unidentified person: “On the whole it is better to deserve honors & not have them, than have them & not deserve them.” [MTP].
April 1 Tuesday – At sea on board the Kanawha en route to Nassau, Bahamas, stopped at Rum Cay. Sam wrote to Livy that they were “homeward bound,” though he was unsure when they might reach home, possibly Apr. 12 or 14.
All our prophecies go to grass. We go to places we never intended to visit, & don’t go to others that were on our list. We did not return to Havana, so I have never received any letters but those which you & Jean wrote me on the 19th [not extant]. …
April 2 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “10 a.m. Entering Nassau. The blues, greens & bronzes of this water at Nassau surpass all the splendors of any water we have seen. Visit of Mr. Gladstone. / Flying fish 30 ft long” [NB 45 TS 8]. Note: Sam’s ship log essentially the same report.
In Nassau, Bahamas, Sam wrote to Livy.
April 3 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “2.30 p.m. called on Sir Gilbert & Miss Carter. / Sailed for Jacksonville at 3./ Appointed Rice to distribute the tips: six of us, $50 apiece, $300” [NB 45 TS 8].
Sam’s ship log: “A flying-fish 30 feet long. It was Rice that saw it. / At 2.30 called on the Government & Miss Carter. Sailed at 3. for Jacksonville” [MTP].
In his Apr. 4 to Livy Sam relates the repose in Nassau (Apr. 2 and 3):
April 4 Friday – On board the Kanawha en route from Nassau, Bahamas to Jacksonville, Fla., Sam wrote to Livy.
April 5 Saturday – On board the Kanawha off Cape Hatteras, N.C., Sam wrote to Livy.
Livy darling it is too bad, I forgot all about Frau von Versen. I hasten at this late day to send a couple of mottoes for you to choose from. I will mail them at Norfolk this evening, & they will beat me home, whether we get delayed or don’t. We are always subject to delays. …
We are off Hatteras, but it is not stormy.
With tons & tons of love.
April 6 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Smooth sea, sunny & pleasant. No cards. Reed played solitaire. ‘ignorant of music’ = Reed / Reached Norfolk midnight” [NB 45 TS 9]. Note: Sam’s ship log gave part of this report.
Livy’s diary: “Miss Forth & Miss Bowman here for tea” [MTP: DV161].
April 7 Monday – The Kanawha was at Old Point Comfort, Va. The New York Times ran a special on the progress of the cruise on the first page, April 8 issue.
COMING BACK FROM CUBA.
———
The Kanawha with ex-Speaker Reed and Mark Twain at Newport News.
Special to The New York Times.
April 8 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Before midnight, storm came on. Much rolling. Violent squalls of wind, with downpour of rain, lightning—one boom of thunder, rather mellow. Took shelter in Delaware breakwater before dawn. Several other vessels—coal tugs outside with women & children in the barges. Myriad of ducks / On Knees for Matches. Fine piece of navigating” [NB 45 TS 9].
Sam’s ship log offers a somewhat less cryptic account:
April 9 Wednesday – The Kanawha sailed at 9 a.m.from Old Point Comfort, Va. to N.Y.C. Sam’s notebook: It arrived at 5 p.m. “a brisk run of 165 miles. Caught 5.45 train for home. Telegram sent at 8 yesterday took all day. / Mrs. Bunce at home” [NB 45 TS 9].
Sam’s ship log: “Sailed at 9 a.m. for New York. The yacht was believed to be a good & staunch sea-boat before—she is known to be one now.
Arrived off East 23d at 5 pm—a brisk run of 165 miles.
Caught 5.45 train for Riverdale.
April 10 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to The American Plasmon Co., 361 Broadway, N.Y.: “Has Mr. Butters returned? Any news? What is your telephone address?” [MTP]. Note: Henry A. Butters.
Sam also wrote to the editor of the Springfield (Mass.) Republican. The letter ran in the Apr. 12 issue of the newspaper [MTP].
To the Editor of the Republican:
April 11 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “xx said she, deftly taking a new reef in her garter, then withdrawing her shapely limb from view behind the falling gown—” [NB 45 TS 10].
April 13 Sunday – Clemens wrote “A Defence of General Funston,” which ran in the May issue of the North American Review [Apr. 14 to Rogers]. Note: the article may be found in Zwick’s Mark Twain’s Weapons of Satire, etc. p.119-32 (1992). Paine observes this article “stirred up a good deal of a storm” [MTB 1165].
April 14 before – Dr. Richard H. Jesse, President of the University of Missouri, wrote to Sam:
April 15 Tuesday – Livy’s diary: “The Misses Selfridge & Miss Mayo here for tea” [MTP: DV161].
April 16 Wednesday – Sam wrote a PS to his “A Defence of General Funston” article, which ran in the May issue of the N.A.R.
April 17 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote on Thomas B. Reed’s note to H.H. Rogers [MTP].
April 18 Friday – In N.Y.C. William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.
“Come here at one o’clock Saturday the 26th, and go with me to lunch with a lot of good fellows, who want you more than they know. I would not ask you if I did not believe you would have a good talk and a good time” [MTHL 2: 741]. Note: Sam agreed on Apr. 21.
Livy’s diary: “Mr Norman Hapgood here for luncheon. Mrs Hutchins Hapgood here for tea” [MTP: DV161].
April 19 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam replied to Chatto & Windus’ Apr. 10
“The above is all right & satisfactory. Sell to Tauchnitz, if he wants it—& Robert Lutz. Harpers ought to have given you earlier notice.
In a hurry to catch a train, …” [MTP].
Insert: Hartford Courant for Apr. 19, 1902 (note: no price given)
April 20 Sunday – Sam returned from Princeton, N.J. to Riverdale. In the evening he substituted for someone who was to introduce the actress Clara Morris (Mrs. Frederick C. Harriott) (1848-1925) at Wallack’s Theatre. Morris was called a genius and a great “emotional actress.” Her career was brief but she was a memorable star. The New York Times reported the event on Apr. 21, p.2, “Clara Morris Tells of Stage Life Trials”:
April 21 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a postcard replying to William Dean Howells’ Apr.
“I forgot to say I made immediate note of that luncheon, & shall be at your house & ready to go with you at 1 p.m on the said date” [MTP]. Note: the lunch date was for Apr. 26.
Sam also wrote a chastening letter to Nathaniel S. Olds, of the Rochester Post-Express.
April 22 Tuesday – In the morning Clara Clemens left for Paris with a chaperone on the German liner Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. It had been arranged for her to take some singing lessons there, and also to meet Ossip Gabrilowitsch . Though fraught with foreboding about leaving her mother, her future husband had assured her in a letter of Apr. 6 that such “single haunting ideas” were childish and that nothing would happen. Clara would reach Paris about May 1 [My Husband Gabrilowitsch 24-25; NY Times, Apr.
April 23 Wednesday – Sam wrote to E.E. Olcott of the Hudson River Day Line, accepting dinner on board the new steamer Albany, date sometime in late May to be arranged. Sam’s is not extant but referred to in Olcott’s Apr. 26 acceptance.
April 24 Thursday – Sam traveled to Philadelphia, to attend the funeral for Frank R. Stockton the following day. Sam’s notebook gives evidence: “Stockton’s funeral. Phila. Gilder goes at 10 a.m., the others at 11. I the latter” [NB 45 TS 11].
April 25 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a postcard to The American Plasmon Co. giving them the times he was due to be in three places in N.Y.C. on the following day: Hoyt & Co., 15 W. 42nd at 10:45 a.m.; the Plasmon Co. at 11:15 a.m., and William Dean Howells’ at noon [MTP]. Note: The William H. Hoyt Co. at that address had advertised “Mark Twain’s Home for Sale” on Apr. 19 in the Hartford Courant [Meltzer 243].