April 25 Monday – In Rome Sam wrote to Joe Twichell, having received his letter (not extant). Sam wrote of an “adventure which was vouchsafed to two Englishmen in the Campagna yesterday.”
April 24 Sunday – In Rome Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall. Sam was “glad to see that the business” had “gone to rushing again,” and also that McClure’s list was “so nearly squared up.” Sam signed and returned the five notes for $3,000 each to the Mount Morris Bank. This additional loan was necessary to pay off W.E. Dibble and immediately issue 3,000 sets of LAL. See MTLTP 308n3 for full account.
April 23 Saturday – Alice Von Versen (nee Alice B. Clemens) wrote to Sam advising that an invitation had arrived for “Breakfast at the Castle as the Empress was so anxious to meet you!” She advised she’d answered that the Clemenses had left Berlin weeks before [MTP].
April 21 Thursday – At the Hotel Molaro in Rome, Susy Clemens wrote to Louise Brownell.
April 20 Wednesday – In Rome Sam sent a cable to Webster & Co.:
Close with Arnold if you like [MTP; also NB 31 TS 37].
Note: this relates to Alfred Arnold’s desire to acquire dramatization rights for AC. See Apr. 4 entry. Evidently, negotiations had concluded favorably.
Susy wrote to Louise Brownell on or about this day:
April 19 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook reveals a likely telegram, not extant, to Henry C. Robinson:
Apl. 19, wrote Robinson I would take ¼ million & 1/6 of Paige’s interest, but would prefer ¼ [NB 31 TS 37].
April 18 Monday –In Rome Sam sent a cable to Henry C. Robinson:
See letter March 28. Trade must include fair share of that interest [MTP; Also NB 31 TS 37].
April 15 Friday – A.L. Bancroft for Bancroft & Co., Pianos and Subscription books of San Francisco, wrote asking what Sam thought of “the ten-block system of numbering country houses,” or the “Contra Costa Plan” for numbering country houses (clippings encl. Jan. 10, 1891 and others from Contra Costa Gazette) [MTP].
April 13 Wednesday – The Hartford Courant divined that some of the stories in Merry Tales were reprints, p.6, “Mark Twain”:
There are seven of these funny stories, not all here presented for the first time….a very various assortment of tales, some funny and one or two not so droll (as the Fort Trumbull story of New London). But they are all more or less enjoyable, and some are particularly humorous [Budd, Contemporary 324].
April 10 Sunday – From the San Francisco Chronicle, p.9, “Literature”:
Merry Tales is a little volume of old stories and sketches by Mark Twain, published in a new form. The volume includes among others that terribly tedious sketch called “Meisterschaft,” which the author may have thought funny, but which no one else ever did. If Mark Twain wants to “turn the barrel” he should exercise better judgment in making his selections for republication [Budd, Contemporary 323].