September 15, 1899 Friday

September 15 Friday – In Sanna, Sweden Sam began a letter to Major H.F. Gordon Forbes, author, living at this time in Boulogne. (Sam added a PS on Sept. 23.) Forbes’ letter had taken over three months to reach Sam, but from postmarks where the delay was Sam could not tell. He informed Forbes he would be in Sanna until Sept. 27 and at the Queen Anne Mansions for the winter starting Sept. 30.

September 14, 1899 Thursday

September 14 ThursdayHenry M. Alden for Harper & Brothers wrote to Sam to suggest they would publish two additional volumes: a book of stories, with “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg” as its “splendid pièce de résistance,” and a book of articles [MTHHR 414n3].

September 12, 1899 Tuesday

September 12 TuesdayLaurence Hutton wrote from Princeton, NJ to Sam.

Dear Marcus / Here we are again. This is what the Sun says about us. If you don’t mind it, I don’t. But, I wouldn’t accept your death, Mark, as a gift.

I hope your part of the statement is true. Tell us.

I wrote you a few days ago from Paris. We expect to be settled here—at the Inn—in a couple of weeks.

And to be “At Home” in the New House by Thanksgiving time. Come. / Love …. [MTP].

September 8, 1899 Friday

September 8 Friday – An anonymous article, “An American Defender of the Faith,” ran in The Jewish Chronicle (London), p.11. Tenney: “Excerpts from ‘Concerning the Jews; editorial commentary is brief and descriptive [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Fifth Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1981 p. 164]. From Tenney’s Bibliographic Issue #4: “‘An article by Mark Twain in the March number (1899) of Harper’s Magazine attracted many letters from readers asking what in the writer’s opinion were the causes of anti-Semitism.

September 7, 1899 Thursday

September 7 Thursday – In Sanna, Sweden Livy replied for Sam to Chatto & Windus (their incoming letter not extant) about the special English issue of the Uniform Edition:

He asks me to say that he shall not be able to send out the prospectus, as he could not have the face to suggest to his friends to buy his books. It may be English but it is quite un-American to advertize oneself in this way [MTP].

September 4, 1899 Monday

September 4 MondayChatto & Windus wrote to Sam that Bliss thought the cost of the 512 deluxe edition would “…be 5 cents a volume more for 500 sets than he reckoned for 1000…at these rates each 12/6 volume should bring you in 9/6” [MTP].

September 3, 1899 Sunday

September 3 Sunday – In Sanna, Sweden Sam replied to T. Douglas Murray (incoming not extant).

Yes, it does indeed remind one of the Rennes trial. I had a paragraph in my Introduction, particularising the twin-resemblances, & suggesting that French character has not improved in five centuries, but Mrs. Clemens knocked it out. And quite right: it was not the place for it. …

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