December 26 Friday – Two days before, Sam invited James W. Paige to the house to clarify an new contract that would be presented to Senator John P. Jones by the two of them in Washington upon Jones’ return. Sam asked again for a meeting on Dec. 31, so it’s unlikely the meeting took place on this day. Sam had the proposed contract drawn by Henry C. Robinson, sent (probably by messenger or his servant) to Paige. The typesetter broke down again on this day [MTNJ 3: 597 under Dec. 29 entry]. Paige answered on Dec. 30.

December 25 Thursday – Christmas – Sam’s “A Christmas Hope” concerning the inventor of the telephone, ran on the front page of the New York World. See Dec. 23.

Sam wrote to James W. Paige, letter not extant but referred to in Paige’s Dec. 30 response. Sam had sent a contract or a request for Paige to sign a contract [MTP].

Franklin G. Whitmore reported to Sam that the typesetter was up and running again [MTNJ 3: 597 under Dec. 29 entry].

December 24 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to James W. Paige, inviting him to “come out here day after tomorrow (Friday)” (Dec. 26) to discuss a new contract. Senator John P. Jones was to leave California for the East right after Christmas and Sam felt it best that he and Paige make an agreement “more satisfactory than the present contract” before Jones arrived. Sam enclosed another of those analyses of em rates, proof-corrections and overall costs per 1000 ems taking into account such factors as gas, wages, labor, etc [MTP].

December 23 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote a letter to the editor of the New York World, which was published on Christmas day:

It is my heart-warm and world-embracing Christian hope and aspiration that all of us — the high, the low, the rich, the poor, the admired, the despised, the loved, the hated, the civilized, the savage — may eventually be gathered together in a heaven of everlasting rest and peace and bliss — except the inventor of the telephone. MARK TWAIN / Hartford, Dec. 23

December 22 Monday – Sam’s notebook:

Let Ham drop his indebtedness & 1/20 [3: 597].

Note: William J. Hamersley had not contributed his required on-going funds for the development of the typesetter, so Sam suggested forgiving the indebtedness and reducing Hamersley’s ownership share from 1/10th to 1/20th. In a later entry Sam wrote that the 1/20th from Hamersley should be given to Joe Goodman.

December 21 Sunday – † In Hartford Sam telegraphed Frederick J. Hall:

Come up at noon [.] forever — damn the idiotic telephone [MTP]

December 20 Saturday – Sam was becoming incensed at the endless delays and tinkering done on the typesetter by James W. Paige and his assistant Charles Ethan Davis. Sam’s notebook:

December 19 Friday – Sam’s notebook:

Dec. 19/90 Take the 9th Ave. Elevated, every time. Passes within 1 block of both the Xstopher st & Desbrosses ferries. Take West shore car to 9th Ave. station. From hotel door to the ferry stations ½ hour is plenty of time. Came to N.Y. in early train with Beecher [3: 596]. Note: Rev. Thomas K. Beecher, pastor of the Elmira First Congregational, was in Hartford. It’s not known if the two had business together in N.Y. or merely shared the same car.

December 18 Thursday – Sam’s notebook:

Framing new contract with Robinson & Whitmore [3: 595].

Note: note #80 here explains the new agreement aimed at guaranteeing Sam a nine-tenths interest in the typesetter even should Sam fail to buy out James W. Paige by the deadline of Feb. 13, 1891. Henry C. Robinson drew the contract, which would be sent to Paige on Dec. 26. See Paige’s response in that day’s entry.

December 17 Wednesday – William J. Bok for Bok Syndicate Press wrote asking if Sam received his “letter of explanation” and was “much troubled” since he hadn’t heard back. He would be in Hartford in Feb. and would consider it an “honor to call.” He advised that Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher was “about to publish a series of most interesting articles for my brother Edward’s ‘Ladies’ Home Journal” [MTP].

Oscar Fischer wrote to Sam seeking to translate CY into Danish. Sam had Whitmore refer him to Chatto, as he did with all requests for translating his works [MTP].