"Clemens' concerns over Olivia's health led him to rent a cottage in York Harbor, Maine, for the summer, where she was transported on Henry Rogers' yacht in late June."
York Harbor DBD
Small & Maynard Scheme – Oesophogus:“It is a joke & you are an ignoramous!” Juggernaut Club – Double Barrelled – Christian Science Humbug – West Indies Cruise
Charleston Fair Resembled a Funeral – Tarrytown Bargain – Defense of Funston Clara’s Escape – Pallbearer for Stockton – Hannibal Revisited – LL.D.
Piloting & Christening – York Harbor & “The Pines” – Huck on Stage – Livy’s Crisis Barred from the Sickroom – Omaha & Denver Ban Huck – Invalid Car to Riverdale Birthday Bash: “I cannot make a good mouth” – Reed’s Last Speech
June 24 Tuesday – The Clemens family, sans Clara, who was in Europe, left Riverdale on Rogers’ yacht, the Kanawha, for York Harbor Maine . H.H. Rogers was not along but put his yacht at their disposal in order to make the trip a comfortable one for Livy. Sam sent the Plasmon Co. a postcard with the new address and a request for Plasmon biscuits and cocoa to be sent there [Christie’s London Auction Nov. 12, 2007, Sale 5141, Lot 145].
June 25 Wednesday – The Kanawha and the Clemens family’s first stop on their way to York Harbor, Maine was Fairhaven, Mass. In his June 26 to Rogers Sam wrote of the trip from Riverdale to Fairhaven.
June 26 Thursday – On board the Kanawha, en route from Riverdale, N.Y. to York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers. The weather on the trip was perfect, but Jean caused Livy some sleepless nights: More of his above letter relating to this day:
June 27 Friday – The Kanawha docked in York Harbor, Maine, and the Clemenses took possession of their cottage, “The Pines,” so named because it stood in pines. Sam sent a telegram to H.H. Rogers:
“Housed and home by noon a perfectly lovely voyage / SLC” [MTHHR 489].
Livy wrote to Susan Crane of the place.
June 28 Saturday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Harry Leon Wilson after reading his book, The Spenders; A Tale of the Third Generation (1902).
“Between you & me & the gate-post, I think it’s a dam-nation good book! It cost me my day yesterday.
You owe me $400. But never mind it. I forgive you, for the book’s sake” [MTP].
June 29 Sunday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to cousin, Dr. James R. Clemens in St. Louis.
We arrived here day before yesterday & are comfortably & smoothly keeping house already; I am at work & we are all feeling at home & in condition to put the summer through in good shape.
June 30 Monday – Livy wrote Harriet Whitmore thanking her for referring Isabel Van Kleek Lyon (1863-1958) for hire as a personal secretary. Livy wanted Miss Lyon to visit for “a few days” and interview. They had a guest room until Clara returned. If hired, Livy preferred that Isabel would find a boarding place outside of the home [MTOW 19]. Note: see source for full letter. Lyon came in mid July and was hired; she began employment with the Clemens family early in October.
July – Cassell’s Magazine p.115-21 ran “A Day with Mark Twain.” Tenney: “On a visit to MT at Saranac Lake, New York; consists largely of familiar biographical data, with five photographs” [37].
Review of Reviews (London), p.54 included “Mark Twain and His Career.” Tenney: “Summarizes and quotes W.B. Northrop’s ‘A Day with Mark Twain’ in the July Cassell’s” [36].
July-August – William Dean Howells writes of the summer near the Clemens family:
July 1 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “First ½ payment to be made on York Harbor ($300.) / Mrs. E. Hartwig will call. / 16 W. Friendship st / Providence, R.I. / from the Queen of Roumania” [NB 45 TS19]. Note: Mrs. Hartwig had been in the Queen’s court for many years; see Queen to MT May 9, 1902; also Sam’s letter of recommendation for Mrs. Hartwig Nov. 16, 1904.
July 2 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Jules Eckert Goodman, who was seeking an extension for his play to include the next season. In a short paragraph Sam referred him to Elisabeth Marbury, who acted as Sam’s sole agent in matters dramatization [MTP].
Sam also wrote to a man identified only as Mr. Ar ——– , 122 Mansfield, Montreal, Canada: “I think that without doubt I did, but I don’t remember, now, what the word was” [MTP].
July 3 Thursday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote three notes to Franklin G. Whitmore. The first included a check for taxes, postdated July 14. He sent it early “to have it off my mind.” The second note: “I want no correspondence with those people. But you can say you submitted it to me & it was found to be correct. (Please use just those precisewords.)”. The third replied to a request for a thousand more autographs. “I’ve no cards, & now I’m about out of paper.
July 4 Friday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam inscribed How to Tell a Story and Other Essays to James B. Pond [MTP].
July 5 Saturday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to James B. Pond. “Your belated pad of paper arrived last night. Why didn’t you send your letter & pad together—like a rational person. Shall I write the 26 again?” [MTP].
Sam also wrote again to Pond. The beginning of the letter is missing.
July 7 Monday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.
July 8 Tuesday – In York Harbor, Maine, Sam’s notebook again contains ideas for the 50 years after story: “Shooting the bird in the tree—no more murders. The boys discuss it. / Partridges in fall on houses / [line separating:] Make this brief: Tom’s selling Huck as a nigger. See the discarded Conspiracy [Line separating:] Reading 3 Spaniards at 2 a.m.—Cat” [NB 45 TS 20-21].
July 9 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine, Sam’s notebook again contains ideas for the 50 years after story: “Debating Society. Guts & all (Sid). Sally Robards—pretty [sic]. Describe her now in her youth & again in 50 ys After when she reveals herself. / Cadets & Doughnuts. / The little cigarman—dead in his chair” [NB 45 TS 21].
July 10 Thursday – In York Harbor, Maine, Sam’s notebook again lists old Hannibal acquaintances for the 50 years after story: “John Briggs, Will, Sam, Bart, John Bowen | Ed Stevens, Bill Coffman | George, Clay, John Robards Jane & Sally Robards. Ray Moss & Neil, Mary. | Artemissa Briggs Mary Miller, Laura Hawkins | Becky Pavey & Pole / ‘Pig-tail done’ tavern | Bladder-time. Weeds. / Offal given away at porkhouse” [NB 45 TS 21].
July 11 Friday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.
July (?) Friday (?) 11th (?) ’02
Dear Mr. Rogers:
July 12 Saturday – Sam’s notebook contains more ideas/memories for the 50 years after story: “Boy hatched bird’s eggs in his mouth. Put it on Tom. Clock-machine to blow up something. / Nicodemus. / doughface, but scare no one mad. / Ghost on the stairs—mine. Walking in sleep—in sheet. / Shroud was used, then” [NB 45 TS 21].
July 13 Sunday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Charles Bancroft Dillingham, who represented theatrical managers Klaw and Erlanger. On July 27 Sam would approve Lee Arthur’s play of HF, a musical comedy [NB 45 TS 22].
A thousand thanks for remembering!
I’m going to send your cane the minute Mrs. Clemens (who is not very well this last day or two) prepares it & labels it for the express.
July 14 Monday – In York Harbor, Maine, Sam’s notebook contains more ideas/memory snippets for the 50 years after story : “The Hyde ruffians with their uncle down. / Mrs. Mann murderess / Haunted house—same as in Va. City. We are all assembled as ghosts when a new one arrives whom we had not counted on, for some reason. He frightens us to death & himself. ‘You to play ghost—you ain’t got judgment enough to play a live person” [NB 45 TS 22].
July 15 Tuesday – In York Harbor, Maine, Sam’s notebook contains ideas/memory snippets for the 50 years after story: “The long ash on the cigar proves that there had been no struggle. / Aunt Betsy Smith, a dear old thing. Nigger show. / Our masterless ‘boy’s dog’” [NB 45 TS 22].
July 16 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Isaac Kaufmann Funk (1839-1912), Lutheran minister, editor, lexicographer, publisher and founder of Funk & Wagnalls, Co. in 1890. “Maybe you let a body have a cloth copy for less than $10 when the applicant demands canvasser’s-commission-off. / But I want the book, anyway, if you recommend it” [MTP]. Note: The Standard Dictionary of the English Language published in 1893 was perhaps Funk’s most important work.