July 17 Saturday – The Clemens party was at the Hotel Union in Lucerne, making ready the move to Weggis the next day. Arrangements were made with E.H. Roth-Näf of Lucerne for a rental piano for Clara to be shipped to Weggis. It would arrive on July 19 [Locher 10]; see entry.

Sam wrote on a calling card with this date to John Y. MacAlister: “Mrs. C. & I are coming, but the girls cant. OVER / I have already sent this message but it best to repeat it” [MTP]. Note: either MacAlister had traveled to Lucerne, or the date is suspect, since the Clemens family left England on July 12 and were in Lucerne on July 17.

The Spectator included an anonymous review of TS,D, p. 89. “Despite weaknesses, the title story is ‘inimitable.’ ‘The Californian’s tale’ is ‘short, but a simply perfect specimen of dramatic surprise. We are reminded of Poe, and scarcely expected to find even the versatile Mark Twain capable of such a tour de force. ‘Adam’s Diary’ is too far-fetched, grotesque in fact, and the humour by no means rich. When will Mark Twain learn to leave such subjects alone, as he cannot handle them with good taste nor even literary skill?’ ‘How to Tell a Story’ …is a very able chapter. It is a pity that the chapters on Paul Bourget’s ‘Outre Mer’ were ever written” [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Second Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1978 p. 169].