December 31 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “The puppy & the Christian are born blind. The puppy gets over it” [NB 47 TS 17].

George Standring sent Sam a 3×4” card with his name nicely written in the center, and in the upper left corner, was printed:

“A PLAIN CARD: FROM A PLAIN MAN: WITH NEW YEAR GREETING; WISHING YOU ALL THE GOOD YOU CAN REASONABLY HOPE FOR OR DESIRE IN THE YEAR NOW ABOUT TO BEGIN—–FROM GEORGE STANDRING TO” [MTP].

December 30 Friday – Herbert Ashcroft of the Koy -Lo Co. wrote to Sam. “I am today in receipt of a cable from my brother stating that the London Plasmon Company will not make any contract and that they prefere to stand the ‘freeze out’ with which they are threatened. He also confirms …that he will return on the ‘Lucania’ arriving her probably Saturday morning, the 7th prox.” [MTP].

E. Prentiss Bailey of the Utica Observer (NY) wrote to Sam.

December 29 Thursday – Marion von Kendler wrote from Vienna, Austria to Sam, noting the old year had been a cruel one for him and wishing him better with healing of time in the new year [MTP].

December 28 Wednesday – Dr. Matthew Gaffney wrote from Newark to Sam. He’d written before asking for “Just a word” about Rev. Dr. Edward McGlynn and Henry George, to be included in a bio of the former [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote on the letter that she’d written him saying in time his letter would be put in front of Sam, who had been ill.

December 27 Tuesday – William E. Benjamin wrote to Sam, enclosing the Hoyt bill for the balance of commission on the sale of the Tarrytown house amounting to $800. In case the sale fell through all would be returned [MTP].

Nathan Haskell Dole wrote from Jamaica Plains, NY to invite Sam to the Boston Authors’ Club 12 night dinner on either Jan. 6 or 7 [MTP].

December 25 Sunday – The New York Times ran a feature article on p. SM1, “Mark Twain— His Autobiography; Rescued from Oblivion After a Third of a Century,” headed by several engravings and photos. See Insert of sketch, captioned: “The latest portrait study of Mark Twain from photograph by Marceau.” The sketch also noted by J.A. Williams.

December 23 Friday – Attorney John Larkin wrote to Sam, clearing up matters of the transfer tax on the Tarrytown property on Livy’s estate. He had had “considerable correspondence with Mr. Jervis Langdon” on the matter and prepared “additional affidavits which I believe will satisfy the transfer tax appraiser” but Sam would have to swear to an affidavit before a notary and return the document to Larkin [MTP].

December 21 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Edmund Clarence Stedman, now in Brownsville, N.Y.

“Mr. Clemens wishes me to write for him to thank you for your invitation to lunch with you and the members of the Academy of Arts and Letters on January seventh, but to say that he must decline, for he is not accepting any invitations this year” [MTP].

December 19 Monday – Eleanor L. Nicholas wrote a “begging letter” from Montpelier, Vt. To Sam, who wrote on the envelope: “Curiosity” [MTP].

December 17 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote an autograph for Avery (not further identified): “To Avery—with kind remembrances of / Mark Twain / Dec. 1904” [MTP: Smith, Perline & Co. catalogs, Apr. 7, 1995, Item 782].

Ralph W. Ashcroft wrote to Sam [MTP]. UCCL 39141 letter is not currently available.

George W. Reeves wrote to Sam. “The copies of contract enclosed I will ask you not to sign until Mr. Benjamin has approved of them…If satisfactory, I will call with duplicates with Mr. Gardiner’s signature” [MTP].