May 7 Tuesday – Sam and Livy attended a Charity Ball, Union for House Work, at the Hartford Foot Guard Armory [MTNJ 3: 468n212]. Sam was on the reception committee, joined by the Governor and other big wigs. The charity supported “reading rooms for boys and girls, a day-nursery, sewing and cooking schools, a clothing-club, lending library,” and affordable tenement houses [438n101].
May 6 Monday – Webster & Co. wrote to Sam summarizing current business income and outlays. “The enclosed report explains itself.” No report is with the letter in the file [MTP].
May 5 Sunday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam: “I wrote to the Texas ‘cub’ the same day I received your letter. I said what you suggested, on your behalf, and added some personal recollections of his grandparents, whom I remembered. I wrote kindly.” He added family goings on and hope for the typesetter [MTP].
May 4 Saturday – Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote a short note advising Sam, enclosing a copy of Frohman’s May 3 having to do with who might act in the P&P lead role. Frohman believed it could not be played by someone over the age of 15. [MTP].
May 3 Friday – Thomas S. Fox for Albany Evening Union wrote to Sam inquiring about using the Kaolatype process [MTP].
Jeannette L. Gilder for The Critic wrote to Sam wishing to know “the truth of the case” about the P&P play with Elsie Leslie. She’d received a note from Edward House that he had signed a contract with you about the play. Who had the rights? [MTP].
May 2 Thursday – Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote to Sam [MTP]. “I do not think the reformation of the agreement with Mrs. Richardson should be delayed longer. I therefore enclose it to you. Do examine it carefully and if there is anything you wish explained bold it and let me know…. I judge from the tone of Mr. Frohman’s letter which I sent you that he was unable to make anything out of what Mr. House had written” [MTP].
May 1 Wednesday – Nineteen-year-old Therese Reichenberger wrote to thank Sam for his gracious answer to her prior letter. Sam reminded himself to “write her by & by” on the first page of her letter, and added a listing in his notebook of her Frankfurt address [MTNJ 3: 486&n16].
Reading in Volume 1 of The Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning, Sam noted his progress along the margin on p.225: “Begin here May 1/89” [Gribben 105]. (See Apr. 24, May 15)
May – In Hartford, Sam finished CY this month [Kaplan 293]. He also penned two paragraphs as a stock answer to editors as to the status of the Paige typesetter.
…we are hoping, & also expecting, that the Paige Compositor will be finished by the 15th of July. It will use moveable type, of the ordinary sort. By the manipulation of one person it will set type, & at the same time will automatically distribute, accurately space, and perfectly justify the lines.
April 30 Tuesday – In Hartford, Sam gave his signature this date to an unidentified person [MTP].
April 29 Monday – C.B. Baker wrote from Oakland, Nebr. to Sam:
Oh Mark! What an old selfish fraud you are! That “World” article was inspired by a provoked public. How you led [illegible word] that poor actor write his own play! Col. Sellers. John Raymond was one of a thousand victims. I am another. I took four of your books to a 2d hand book store yesterday. I see the people at last are “going for you” [MTP]. Note: obviously either a put-on or not a fan