April 26 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Katharine I. Harrison asking her to put $5,000 to his credit in the Guaranty Trust Co. on Monday as he wanted to draw it out on Tuesday, Apr. 29 [MTP].
April 27 Sunday – Livy’s diary: “Julie & Mr Loomis here Mrs Virginia Fraser Boyle for luncheon, for tea Miss Dike & Mr Brisbin Walker” [MTP: DV161].
April 28 Monday – H.H. Rogers wrote to Sam.
April 29 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Pay the $42,500. Take $25,000 from Guarantee Trust & $17,500 from Lincoln National Bank” [NB 45 TS 11]. Note: $42,500 was the balance owed on the Tarrytown house, after a $2,500 down payment.
Thomas B. Reed wrote a short note to Sam: “My duty to the Community is very clear. / I will rescue you if possible. / It is so seldom that a man gets a chance to be a patriot and a friend in ‘one time and one motion’!” [MTP].
Sam’s article, “A Defence of General Funston,” ran in the May 1902 issue of the North American Review.
May 1 Thursday – Fatout lists a reading by Sam of unspecified works at Mrs. Bartholomew’s in N.Y.C. [MT Speaking 670]. Note: Fatout likely saw this NB entry, but discounted the last sentence:
May 2 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Poultney Bigelow, who evidently had asked what road to take to get to Riverdale. Sam replied: “Land!—I don’t know any road except the railroad, & it doesn’t turn off at all. I think you stick to Broadway all the way, but I do not know” [MTP]. Note: Bigelow was likely coming to Sam’s dinner party this evening, and was a fan of the bicycle. “Dinner party at home” [NB 45 TS 11].
May 3 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Lewis P. Ward, “(Known in the last century as ‘Little Ward’)” at The Olympic Club, S.F. Only the envelope survives [MTP]. Note: Ward died in 1903.
Sam’s notebook contains Sam’s reminiscence of another dinner party:
Dined at Sir Henry M. Stanley in (’99?) after the South African war broke out. At end of table, Lady Stanley’s sister at my left, (The Castle School) Lord Kirchener next to her, Chamberlain next to me.
May 4 Sunday – Livy’s diary: “Mr & Mrs Wm E. Dodge came for tea” [MTP: DV161].
May 5 Monday – H.H. Rogers wrote to Sam that he had sent James F. Strang a reply as Sam requested (see Mar. 31 from Strang), and would “tackle the other to-morrow” [MTHHR 486]. Rogers’ letter (which seems very Twain-like):
May 6 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Alice Day, dinner, to meet Lord & Lady Kelvin 8. p.m.” [NB 45 TS 12]. Note:
May 7 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Train 6.40—arr. 7.9. / Dinner here—7.30. Robt. McClure & Jaccaci” [NB 45 TS 12]. Note: August F. Jaccaci, art director for McClure’s Magazine.
Blanche E. Weekes wrote from Baltimore to Sam.
I send you by this mail a copy of the dramatisation of your book “Prince and Pauper.” I hope it will meet with your approval, and can find enough merit to permit it submitted to a manager.
May 8 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Dine with the Halls” [NB 45 TS 12]. Note: Frederick J. Hall, Sam’s old partner at C. L Webster & Co. The Halls had visited the Clemenses at Dollis Hill in Sept. 1900.
Livy’s diary: “Mr John Quincy Adams, Mr George de Forest Brush, Mr Duncan, Miss Grace Dodge, Miss May Dodge & Miss [Anne] Sedgwick here for tea. We dined with Mr & Mrs Henry Hall” [MTP: DV161].
May 9 Friday – Sam’s notebook entry consists of a list of possible readings, though no appearance for this date has been found; “Death of Mary / Tearing down the stable / Watermelon / Dead man / Getting measles / Conspiracy” [NB 45 TS 12]. Note: it is possible Sam did a reading at the Gilder reception mentioned below:
Livy’s diary: “Dined with Mr & Mrs Chapin; went to Mrs Gilder’s reception in the evening” [MTP: DV161].
May 10 Saturday – Sam wrote to Nathaniel Pasternak, his letter not extant but referred to in Pasternak’s reply of May 13.
Sam’s notebook entry lists ideas for the “50 years after” tale, never finished [NB 45 TS 12].
George W. Reeves for Hoyt & Co. wrote to Sam, enclosing a bill from the Title Co. for $289.50 for the clearing of title from Flora McDonald Casey to Olivia L. Clemens on the Tarrytown house [MTP]. 02.mpg
May 11 Sunday – Sam’s notebook entry lists ideas for the “50 years after” tale, where Huck and Tom met up with the old gang back in Hannibal 50 years after their boyhood escapades; never finished [NB 45 TS 12].
Livy’s diary: “Mr Rodman Gilder here for luncheon & tea / Mary Forth called” [MTP: DV161].
May 12 Monday – George H. Daniels, General Passenger Agent for New York Central & Hudson River Co. wrote to Sam. “Referring to conversation with my Secretary, Mr. Laing, this morning. I find that there are no state-rooms in the sleeping cars on train No. 33, leaving New York at 9:20 PM. So I have reserved for you a drawing room, the cost of which, from New York to St. Louis, will be $22.00.” The total fare was $46.25; Daniels asked for a check and he’d send the tickets [MTP].
May 13 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote on Blanche E. Weekes’ May 7 and sent it to Elisabeth Marbury. “Above letter is referred to Miss Marbury by / SL. Clemens / who is weary of corresponding with alleged dramatists. / May 13/02. / I do not remember having heard of Miss Weekes before” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Mr. Wolfe (not further identified): “After endorsing your check over to the Harpers I found I did not need to buy a book—I found one on hand, & am forwarding it” [MTP].
May 14 Wednesday – Livy’s diary: “Mrs Ruth McEmory [sic McEnery] Stuart & Mrs Gen. Custer gave us a reception in New York” [MTP: DV161]. Note: a check of NY papers for this event came up empty.
May 15 Thursday – Sam’s notebook entry lists ideas for the “50 years after” tale, never finished [NB 45 TS 13].
Hill claims the MS “is one of the very few that, in his entire life, Mark Twain actually may have destroyed” [43].
Livy’s diary: “Mark McGinnis & Mr Borce, took tea with us” [MTP: DV161].
May 16 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam replied to his old Nevada friend, William R. Gillis, whose incoming letter is not extant:
Dear old Unreconstructible!
May 17 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers, enclosing a letter from Thomas B. Reed to the Rev. M.M.J. Cooper, Rector of St. Christopher’s, Rum Cay, Bahamas. The letter announced a donation of a church organ by Reed.
May 18 Sunday – Livy’s diary: “Annie Trumbull, Miss Dike & John Howells here for tea” [MTP: DV161].
May 19 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, reacting to the lack of interest in the advertisements for the sale of their Hartford house. Whitmore was surprised there had been no letters from out of town. To Sam, the plan used to seem plausible to hook “some rich Chicagoan” but now that the scheme wasn’t successful he wasn’t surprised.
The thing that does is that there is but one Hartford bid. I had thought of Mrs. George Perkins, & of James Goodwin’s son; as possible bidders.
May 20 Tuesday – Livy’s diary: “Mrs William E. Dodge here for tea” [MTP: DV161].
Katharine I. Harrison wrote to Sam, advising that she had used $5,000 on the Steel investment which Rogers had made “some time since,” to offset $5,000 owed Rogers [MTP].