March 25 Friday – In Hartford Sam responded to a letter from Mrs. Jenny S. Boardman, once Jenny Stevens, daughter of “the old jeweler of Hannibal, & sister of Ed, John & Dick” [Apr. 2 to Pamela]. Jenny had written about the idyllic Mississippi riverboat days.
March 24 Thursday – Franklin G. Whitmore wrote a letter for Sam to Charles Webster. The formal, business-like letter was essentially Sam’s agreement to the course Webster intended to pursue in recovering assets from the embezzler, Frank M.
March 23 Wednesday –
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
3628 Mr. F.R. Pierson 23.48
3629 Mssrs Aitkin Son & Co 28.00 Machinist
March 22 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Mary Mason Fairbanks, now in London, England. Sam’s was an obvious response to her (not extant) letter. He mentioned problems about Mary’s daughter Alice living anywhere but Cleveland and possible separation or divorce, no doubt heavy concerns for Mary.
It is a most pitiable case; hard for you, & hard for Alice too. But don’t you see? — Alice cannot go anywhere but Cleveland to live
March 21 Monday – In Hartford Sam responded to a neighbor’s note, Charles E. Thompson, that he would “report at the Armory at 8 tomorrow evening.” He also gave Thompson permission for his son to tie up his boat on the creek at the rear of Sam’s property.
…& if he will speak to my coachman, he will provide a place for his oars in our stable, if he would like that [MTP]. Note: The Armory event is unknown.
March 20 Sunday – The New York Times, p.9 ran a short article, “MARK TWAIN’S MEMORY,”touting Professor Loisette’s “system of memory,” and quoting Sam’s letter (See the beginning of this year.)
March 19 Saturday – Susy Clemens’ fifteenth birthday. Sam inscribed two of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s books (under pseudonym “Christopher Crowfield”): The Chimney Corner, and Oldtown Folks to: Susie Clemens, Mch. 19, 1887 [Gribben 670]. Daisy Warner wrote her father about Susy’s birthday party:
March 18 Friday – A week after Frank M. Scott was arrested for embezzling from Webster & Co., the New York Times carried a full account:
CONFESSIONS OF A THIEF
L.. — — — —
SCOTT ADMITS THAT HE STOLE $25,000
FROM HIS EMPLOYERS
March 17 Thursday – In Hartford Sam responded to an invitation by Annie A. Fields to stay with her during his planned Boston visit, to read “English As She Is Taught” at the Longfellow Memorial on Mar. 31. He accepted but warned of “timorous” misgivings:
March 16 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam responded to his brother’s letters of Mar. 13 and 14. Orion had evidently expressed concern about reading about the embezzler, Frank M. Scott at Webster & Co., arrested on Mar. 11.
Nobody is crippled — to hurt.