March 14 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Charles E. Deuel (1864-1932), a student at Trinity College in Hartford (he would become a pastor in Wyoming, Idaho, Chicago and Santa Barbara, Calif.) Deuel had some project and wished help from Sam.
Won’t you kindly drop in at my house when you have a spare moment, & give me an idea of about what is required of me?…I am not averse from the undertaking, if I find it is within the scope of my pretensions [MTP].
Note: for a thumbnail on Deuel, see http://www.idahohistory.net/Reference%20Series/0852.pdf
Sam also responded to a Mar. 12 invitation from Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909), prolific American author and native of South Berwick, Maine. (See Mar. 31 entry.)
Alas! I dine & read in New Haven that evening — Kent Club of Yale College [MTP].
Note: the date of his New Haven reading was Mar.31, also the day for the Longfellow Memorial readings. Jewett and Annie Fields were coordinators of the Boston event, and scheduled Sam an afternoon reading early enough to allow him to be back in New Haven by 7 P.M. (See Mar. 17 to Jewett and Apr. 1 to Fields.)
Sam also wrote to Joe Twichell who spoke of Henry Ward Beecher at the Asylum Hill Congregational church. Andrews writes, “Immediately after reading his paper on Monday morning, Mark wrote his friend” [52].
It is a noble sermon, & I am glad I did not hear it. The mere reading it moved me more than I like to be moved — or, rather would like to be moved in public. It is great & fine; & worthy of its majestic subject. You struck twelve.
What a pity — that so insignificant a matter as the chastity or unchastity of Elizabeth Tilton could clip the locks of this Samson & make him as other men, in the estimation of a nation of Lilliputians creeping & climbing about his shoe-soles [52].
Orion Clemens wrote Sam a follow up on the embezzlement — “Ed Brownell tells me that according to the Chicago Tribune’s report it was $20,000,” and speculated on how Scott made the theft [MTP].
Bissell & Co. Per George H. Burt wrote to Sam that they had credited his account $965.72 from Chatto & Windus’ note for £200 [MTP]. Note: this was “annotated” by Jean Clemens’ scribbles.
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
3623 Mrs Charles Dudley Warner 50.00