November 9 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to David Gray. He offered belated thanks for the “hospitable entertainment which I enjoyed under your roof” on his last trip to Fredonia and Buffalo. He also expressed desire to send a few copies of P&P to friends but “our lawyer said no, stop right where we were, till day of publication, Dec.
November 8 Tuesday – John W. Sanborn wrote to Sam sending his book, Distinguished Authors Whom I have Known.
November 7 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Karl and Hattie Gerhardt, with a note to Charles Ethan Porter (1847/8-1923), a black painter born in the Hartford area, now famous for his fruit and flower paintings.
November 6 Sunday ca. – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood on Webster’s Nov. 5 letter about making fine brass casts. Sam admitted:
“The patterns for my book cover were coarse & awkward because they were done in such a hurry” [MTP].
November 5 Saturday – Charles Webster wrote to Sam about failed brass castings made by Adams [MTP].
November 4–6 Sunday – Sam returned to Hartford during this period.
November 3 Thursday – Sam traveled to Boston as planned and conferred with Osgood. He probably dined with Aldrich and Howells in the evening (see Nov. 2 entries). It is not known what day he returned to Hartford.
Harper & Bros., per William L. Alden wrote to solicit submissions from Twain [MTP].
November 2 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Thomas B. Aldrich about a check received for an article. Sam knew he’d written it since he’d received a check for it; if Aldrich had “any other articles” he didn’t “wish to be responsible for,” Sam wrote, “remember I am here.” Sam announced he would:
“…arrive in Boston about 4 to-morrow afternoon. Let’s dine with Osgood—what do you say? Invite Howells—better telegraph him, perhaps” [MTP].
November 1 Tuesday – Sam wrote to James R. Osgood, offering advice as to how to best use Howells’ review of P&P with canvassing. He also dealt with submitting the “Mental Telegraphy” article to the Century, and details about printing in Canada [MTLTP 145].
November – The Century Magazine for November ran Sam’s sketch, “A Curious Experience,” later part of The Stolen White Elephant [Camfield, bibliog.].
Sam’s notebook includes mention of Canadian naturalist and geologist Henry George Vennor (1840-1884) [MTNJ 2: 407, 411]. Sam joked about Farquhar Martin Tupper and his bromides [408].