January 1 Sunday – At the Hotel Krantz in Vienna, Austria, Sam’s notebook:

NEW-YEAR, 1899. Note from Schelsinger [not extant], asking another month’s delay. … He would like me to promise the use of my name in advance, I think, & unconditionally.

It will be a marvel if he produces a play which I can work into a shape which will satisfy me, after all his delays. I shan’t allow my name to be used in connection with it unless it shall in all ways warrant the risk [NB 40 TS 52-3].

Sam wrote to Siegmund Schlesinger, with whom he was collaborating on two comedy plays. Evidently Sigmund had asked for a delay.

“If you can delay it till April or May—that will be still more convenient for me; for I am now deep in work which I cannot very well interrupt before that time” [MTP].

About this day Sam also wrote to Frank Bliss, concerning Brander Matthews’ writing the Introduction for the Uniform Edition:

“I told you Brander would do it well, Bliss. No one can beat his Introduction. It is as clear & compact & felicitous a piece of work as any man might wish to see. You did yourself proud when you succeeded in laying his pen under contribution” [MTP].