January 14 Saturday – In Florence Sam wrote to Julia Newell Jackson, widow of Dr. A. Reeves Jackson, of the Quaker City excursion.
[Dr. Jackson’s death] cuts short an intimate and most valued friendship of a quarter of a century, and removes from my narrowing circle one whom I sincerely loved, and whose place none can fill as he filled it [MTP].
January 13 Friday – In Florence Sam wrote to William Webster Ellsworth (1855-1936), at this time secretary of the Century Co., (later president from 1913-1916) complimenting him on the layout and advertising for “The £1,000,000 Bank-Note,” which ran in the January issue of Century Magazine. Ellsworth was from an old Connecticut political family; his father, by the same name, was once governor. He was a great-grandson of Noah Webster, and a member of the Players Club and the Century Club.
January 9 Monday – In Florence, Sam answered a “very charming letter” (not extant) from daughter Clara. He wanted to forward her letter to Ned Bunce, as he was sure he would enjoy it.
January 3 Tuesday – Sam added a PS to his Jan. 2 to Whitmore.
Is Mr. Arnot’s receipt for $50,000 worth of royalties still in the Safety Deposit, or in the course of the Mallory negociations did it get back into his hands? SLC
Merry-next-Christmas & Happy-last-New years to you!
It is a wonderful day — Florence is a ghost — looks a ghost — this is the first time she has put on snow. And, as always, it is merely to show herself off [MTP].
January 2 Monday – In Florence Sam wrote to Laurence Hutton, who was in Egypt, “jackassing around in that summer land & viewing the Pyramids & things.” Sam reported finishing the book (probably PW) but that revising it “nearly killed” him — “Revising books is a mistake.”
I see the Umbria is reported pawing her way gradually homeward & likely to arrive in the course of time. So Harper is all right, no doubt.
January 1 Sunday – In Florence, Italy Sam wrote a longish letter to Frederick J. Hall, mostly about money — whether to draw from his letter of credit, foregoing his $500 per month draw from Webster & Co., and also where more funds might be had for the company. Sam promised to write Whitmore to send Hall the $1,000 from the Century, along with the half-payment from Mary Mapes Dodge for Tom Sawyer Abroad, $2,000.
January – Sam’s story, “The £1,000,000 Bank-Note” ran in the Century Magazine. Early in the month Sam noted that both PW and “Adam’s Diary” had gone to the typist [BAMT 3; NB 32 TS 53; Budd, Collected 2: 1000]. Note: the story was included in the book by the same name in 1893.
“Concerning Tobacco” was written sometime around 1893, not to be published until 1917 in What is Man? and Other Essays [Budd, Collected 2: 1001].
Note: Sam would see Corbett fight an exhibition in Madison Square Garden and verbally spar with him after the fight
December 31 Saturday – In Florence Sam ended the year in bed, still suffering from a bad cold [Jan. 1 to Hall].
Year end – Frederick J. Hall’s “Summary of Royalties” for the last half of 1892 shows that The American Claimant had not sold well, just under $700, as compared to older books, P&P, just over $1,000, and HF nearly $1,500 [MTLTP 333n2].
December 30 Friday – In Florence Sam was in bed with another bad cold [Jan. 1 to Hall].