January 20 Sunday – The New York Press responded to a question whether Sam was “still writing” the “Funny Side” column, that he was “mostly confined to writing on checks” [Budd, Our MT 84].
Elizabeth K. Boyesen wrote to Sam inviting him to dine with them on his next visit to New York [MTP].
January 19 Saturday – Mrs. T.C. Sylvis wrote from Olathe, Kansas to Sam. “I have just received your incomprehensible letter, in reply to mine [not extant], asking you for a souvenir. I am almost heart broken — I cannot believe that you would poke fun at me, by addressing me as ‘my dear baroness.’” [MTP].
Webster & Co. wrote to Sam: “We enclose herewith as requested duplicates of the Daily Report both of the Subscription Department and the Book-keeping Department” [MTP].
January 18 Friday – London’s Pall Mall Gazette reported:
…the genial humorist who is famous throughout the civilized world as “Mark Twain” is a mechanician of no ordinary kind. For several years he has been engaged in perfecting a type-setting machine of his own invention, and at last his patient toil has been, as he declares, crowned with success [MTNJ 3: 440n112].
January 17 Thursday – According to Sam’s Jan. 4 to Johnston, he left New York for Baltimore, Maryland at 10 a.m. He may have left Hartford on an early train, or may have gone there a day or more before. Because Webster & Co. wrote to him on Jan. 16, it’s likely he left Hartford early and continued on to Baltimore.
January 16 Wednesday – Webster & Co. notified Sam that the stock of several old volumes had been sold to Watson Gill; also, that Gill had included an order for 50 of Mrs. Custer’s book, Tenting on the Plains [MTLTP 252n1,n3]. Hall added, “We have the daily report system running now & so far it works finely. We know precisely where we stand now daily [MTP].
January 15 Tuesday – Webster & Co. wrote to Sam proposing to sell the rights to the bio of Henry Ward Beecher to Bromfield & Co., “a small but reliable publishing firm” in N.Y. The book had been a loser to about $2,000 and the proposal was to ask that amount [MTP].
January 14 Monday – William Dean Howells sent a note to Sam that they were “all expecting you at our Moretti dinner, Friday night of this week. Come directly on your return from Baltimore” [MTP].
January 12 Saturday – Frederick J. Hall for Webster & Co. wrote to thank Sam for the kind note — his approval gave him “new energy and determination.” A signed contract was enclosed [MTP].
January 11 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall, happy with the change in partnership.
The substitution of brains for guesswork was accomplished when you took Webster’s place last February, and I see by your letter that the use of brains in place of guesswork is to remain the policy of your administration. I cordially approve, detail by detail, of what you have done, & of what you have planned to do. You & I will never have any trouble.
January 10 Thursday – Richard Malcolm Johnston answered Sam’s note about arriving in Baltimore incommunicado: “I will meet you at Union Station, take you to my house, and keep you as hid treasure safely from all inquisitions” [MTNJ 3: 443n117].