May 1 Thursday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Andrew Carnegie, sending apologies to Mrs. Carnegie:
Oh, I am mighty sorry I left Sunday evening, but I got homesick, & hadn’t anything to do & nothing to read [MTP]. Note: Sam spoke at the Max O’Rell (Paul Blouët) dinner in Boston the Sunday prior.
Sam also wrote to John Garth, journalist, of his thoughts about lecturing:
May – MTNJ 3: 564n255 refers to Sam dining at the George Hearst home during this month in Washington. See unresolved issues regarding a possible May 8-12 trip to Washington.
Webster & Co. sent Sam a “Books sent out during April, 1890” report, with a total of 6,524, led by 2,038 CY [MTP]. Note: the MTP catalogues this as a Apr. incoming entry.
April 30 Wednesday – Charles M. Green wrote on Mutual Life Ins. Co., N.Y. letterhead to Sam. Green was planning a reading of selections from CY using stereopticons to show the illustrations in the book, but in the book he had they were not sharp enough — were there originals he might borrow? Sam wrote on the envelope, “Talk with me about this, Brer / SLC” [MTP].
April 29 Tuesday – The Hartford Courant, p.2, “Open Hearth Concert Tonight,” announced the Open Hearth Benefit at the Foot Guard Hall in Hartford. Sam read from CY.
April 28 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Annie E. Trumbull agreeing to a visit for May 10, probably a young ladies’ Saturday Morning Club appearance [MTP].
Orion Clemens wrote to Sam having received the monthly $200 check.
I hope you are not offended by my suggestion to compromise with House which I made before the case came to trial. I find no fault with you, as you have never studied law. I blame your attorneys for encouraging you to defend a suit that they foreknew you would lose. I claim no transcendent legal knowledge [MTP].
April 27 Sunday – Fatout lists this date for the Max O’Rell Dinner at the Everett House in Boston, Mass. where Sam gave a speech, “continuing his feud with foreign critics in general and with the ghost of Matthew Arnold in particular,” with “On Foreign Critics” [MT Speaking 257-60].
April 26 Saturday – On or just after this day Sam declined (through Franklin G. Whitmore) Amos Townsend’s Apr. 25 invitation [MTP]. See Apr. 25.
April 25 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Moncure Conway who had sent news about the English version of the P&P play.
April 24 Thursday – In Hartford this was the day of the big test of the Paige typesetter for Senator John P. Jones and contingent. They arrived from New York about noon. Sam met the group at the train depot, took them home and fed them a big dinner. Kaplan writes this reception was “calculated to make them grateful and happy,” and that they were “plied with Roman punch, champagne, brandy and his best stories, and then loaded into the family carriage.” The machine failed. The contingent “marched out in disgust” leaving Sam in a deep depression [304].
April 23 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote a short note of response to Andrew Carnegie’s Apr. 22 note. He regretted missing Carnegie at home on his last trip to New York, but expected to “be down in a day or two” and would call again [MTP].
Webster & Co. wrote to Sam but only the envelope survives [MTP].
Emily Cheney wrote from South Manchester, Mass: