February 13 Sunday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam and enclosed a proof for his “Editor’s Study” for the May issue of Harper’s as to why the public cared for Mark Twain’s books “in prodigious degree” — “under every fantastic disguise they are honest and true.” Howells also touched upon an old issue:
February 12 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Rev. John W. Chapman, who wrote on Feb. 7 of Jesse Madison Leathers’ death.
I never saw Leathers, but was acquainted with him through a forced correspondence.
February 11 Friday – Sam returned to Hartford [MTNJ 3: 278n180].
William Carey, editor for Century Magazine wrote to Sam enclosing Caroline Le Row’s Feb. 11 to Robert Underwood Johnson. Le Row’s note informed them of changes she’d made in the proofs. Carey wrote, “As you suggested we forwarded a proof of “English as she is Taught” to Miss Le row, with the enclosed result.” If Sam wanted further changes, it would have to be done on the plates [MTP].
February 10 Thursday – In New York at 2 P.M., Sam wrote to Livy:
…I have memorized 71 lines in a day & kept them in an absolutely exact state during 8 hours of sleep.
I have had a lecture to-day, & shall attend to some business duties the rest of the afternoon. I love you, dearest [MTP].
February 9 Wednesday – Sam was in New York, staying at the Victoria Hotel. At 10:45 P.M. he finished writing and memorizing his speech for the Stationers Dinner [Feb. 10 to Livy].
February 8 Tuesday – Sam went to New York City, where he stayed from Feb. 8 to 11 at the Victoria Hotel. He took care of business while in the City and spoke at the Stationers Board of Trade dinner on Feb. 10 [MTNJ 3: 278n180].
February 7 Monday – John W. Chapman, an assistant chaplain of the City Missionary Society of New York wrote to Sam of the death of Jesse M.
February 6 Sunday – In Hartford Sam accepted an invitation by John M. Holcombe (husband to the woman who had sent the form about Feb. 1 renaming the Darby and Joan Club to the Century Club) to speak briefly. It was “pretty short notice,” Sam wrote but he would be glad to come and “weave a 5-minute discourse out of” the remarks of other speakers [MTP]. Note: No doubt this was the Feb.
February 5 Saturday – In Hartford Sam responded to a Mrs. Thornburgh (identity unknown), saying she wasn’t “troubling him too much,” but that he’d been away from journalism some seventeen years and knew only “two newspaper men in all the east” [MTP]. Her request must have had something to do with journalism. (Her earlier letter is not listed in the MTP’s Incoming file.)
February 4 Friday – In Hartford Sam finished the letter begun Feb. 3 to William Smith. He’d received Smith’s books and expressed a desire to visit Morley on his next trip to England. Both he and Livy enjoyed the “beautiful and interesting” books by Smith.