September 28 Tuesday – Samuel Sidney McClure (1857-1949) wrote from New York to Sam asking for “such facts as you would be willing to have published in the syndicate” relating to his early literary career. McClure was writing a paper showing how “a number of well known writers earned their first money by their pens.” Sam wrote on the envelope, “Puh!”[MTP].
September 27 Monday – By this day the Clemens family were back in Hartford after a ten-day stay in New York. Sam responded to James Redpath, who wrote Sept 23-5 offering Donn Piatt’s book for publication. Redpath was now editor of the North American Review.
September 26 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: the Tribune contains a page of leaded minion done on a machine. So they’ve at least 2 sizes of matrices, whether they’ve 2 machines or not [MTNJ 3: 259].
September 25 Saturday † – James Redpath wrote to Sam enclosing a Sept. 20 letter from Donn Piatt. Redpath wanted to know where to send Piatt’s book for evaluation [MTP].
September 24 Friday – Dr. John Nutting Farrar, the Clemens family orthodontist of New York wrote asking about a case Sam had mentioned while there. The doctor also wrote “I shall be able soon to report on your daughter’s case” (Clara). Sam wrote on the envelope, “Send him that squib” [MTP]. Clara had seen the orthodontist during their week’s stay in N.Y.
September 23 Thursday – E.R. Paillon wrote from Booneville, Mo. asking for help in securing a complete set of books by Missouri authors. “I write to all Mo. Authors, I don’t expect to hear from you, know you too well by reputation, but your [sic] ‘on the list’.” Sam wrote on the envelope, “Fellow born in a cow-lot, probably. No answer” [MTP].
September 22 Wednesday – John M. Hay wrote to Sam from Cleveland asking that a McClellan book be sent him C.O.D., if after Oct. 10 to Washington, D.C. He promised not to show the book to anyone until agents began to deliver them. “I must read McClellan’s own story before finishing the chapters concerning him” [MTP]. Note: Hay and John G.
September 20 Monday – Charles Webster wrote from London to his Uncle Sam. His business was complete in Europe; he’d “made contracts with the best firms in each of the following countries: Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Holland and England.” Webster & Co. Was to receive 20% of the retail price of the Pope book, the firms to translate and publish at their expense. He announced they would sail on the City of Rome Sept. 30, the first passage he could make [MTP].
September 19 Sunday – The Chicago Tribune, p.12, ran an interview of Sam by Edwin J. Park, “A Day with Mark Twain / The Genial Humorist at His Summer Home.” Budd summarizes: “Many small details on Quarry Farm setting; SLC has done no writing there during past summer” [“Interviews” 5]. See this entire interview in Scharnhorst, p 91-4.) Note: This also ran in the Boston Daily Globe on Sept.
September 18 Saturday – Webster & Co., per Frank M. Scott wrote of Frederick J. Hall being “obliged to go West in regard to the account of R.T. Root, he owing us some $36,000.” Whitford felt Hall should go see Root. Scott wrote of trying to catch Sam at the Normandie Hotel, then the Gedney House and finally the Murray Hill, where Sam had just left for Hartford and home.