February 24 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to William Dean Howells. Livy had been “sick abed for near two weeks” (which would put her return from Philadelphia at about Feb. 12). Sam looked forward to a visit by the Howellses in March. Sam then asked if his new novel stirred an interest in Howells: “Colonel Mulberry Sellers, American Claimant of the Great Earldom of Rossmore in the Peerage of Great Britain,” which would become, simply, The American Claimant [MTHL 2: 636-7].

February 23 Monday – Mary Mapes Dodge invited Sam and Livy to dinner at her New York City home. Since Livy was ill and in bed, the invitation was likely declined [MTNJ 3: 603n100; Feb 24 to Howells].

Arthur Duffuer in Furtwangen, Black Forest, Germany wrote a short note to Sam — in German, writing he would be “fortunate to own a few lines written by your hand” [MTP]. Note: Thanks to Holger Kersten for the translation.

February 22 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall about the mock-up of Mark Twain’s Memory Builder and his new book that would become The American Claimant:

When you get the dummy finished, steal a few hours from work & bring it up yourself & we will make some plans concerning the new Col. Sellers book which I am writing [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Joe Goodman about Senator John P. Jones:

February 21 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote a short note of thanks to Thomas Bailey Aldrich for sending an inscribed book of his poems, The Sisters’ Tragedy, with Other Poems, Lyrical and Dramatic (1891) [MTP]. See Feb. entry.

February 20 Friday – In Hartford Sam was immersed in work. On this day he began again what would become The American Claimant (in his Feb. 10 to Howells Sam disclosed he’d begun on Feb. 8, so he may have started over on this day.) He would write the book in only 71 days, finishing on May 2. He also was hard at work resurrecting the game that would become Mark Twain’s Memory Builder.

February 19 Thursday – General William Tecumseh Sherman’s funeral followed by a military procession took place in New York City. His body was then taken to St. Louis, where a second funeral was held on Feb. 21 at a Catholic church. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis.

February 18 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook lists an invitation to lecture at Central Music Hall, Chicago for $1,000 from Edmund W. Ballentine [MTNJ 3: 603]. Note: No record exists of Sam agreeing to such a lecture, nor is a date for a proposed appearance shown.

February 17 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall of a “very pleasant visit” by an unspecified man. He also enclosed a paper which, if Hall liked it for publication, to make a copy of it and mail the original to Grace King. Sam expressed some urgency as to developing the memory game, feeling it would provide some needed income:

Come quickly, & discuss my historical game. It is the important feature now [MTP].

February 16 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote through Franklin G. Whitmore to Frederick J. Hall asking him “to come to Hartford as soon as convenient…He wishes to talk with you in relation to his ‘Historical Game’ and it’s [sic] publication.” Note: with the bursting of the “Jones bubble” dashing hopes for large scale financing of the typesetter, Sam turned to every possible asset, literary and miscellaneous, to raise money.

February 15 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall enclosing a note (not extant) from Grace King about publishing a book from a widow.