December 31 Friday – Hartford merchant bills/receipts/statements:
A.D. Vorce & Co. “picture & looking glass frames, oil paintings” $36.75 for purchases Oct. 12, Nov. 30, Dec. 22; “wire and painting cats, hall frame”; paid Jan. 7, 1881; J.P. Newton, “meat, poultry, game, fish & vegetables” $7.48 for purchases: Nov. 27, Dec. 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 fish & lobster [MTP].
December 30 Thursday – Sam and Livy attended the single-night performance of “Morte Civile,” (the Civil Death), starring the famous Italian actor Salvini at the Hartford Opera House. The Hartford Courant, Dec. 31 p. 2 reported on the “emotional tragedy”:
December 29 Wednesday – Sam declined an invitation from the Press Club of Chicago, writing from Hartford that the “formidable size of the trip in this mid-winter weather” would bar him from attending. He hoped they remembered him as well as he did them [MTLE 5: 242].
December 28 Tuesday – William A. Seaver wrote to Clemens. “My precious old bird: — / Haven’t you got a place for bores, loafers and snobs in Hartford called a Club? … I am twisting my wits to get stuff enough together to do a little article on Clubs, and would like to ring in Hartford” [MTP].
December 27 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood in reference to a manuscript [MTLE 5: 241].
Sam purchased a suit from Geeley’s Wardrobe, “Mens’ and boy’s clothing,” Hartford, for $6.50; paid Jan. 27, 1881 [MTP]. Note: Henry Geeley is listed as a clothier in the 1875 City Directory.
December 26 Sunday – Bohun Devereaux wrote to ask Sam’s views on dramatic copyright [MTP].
John Russell Young wrote from Hartford hoping to visit the Clemenses. His home had been Phila. since returning from Europe. House & Koto had “charged” him with “special messages to Mrs. Clemens and yourself” [MTP]. Note: very tiny hand
December 25 Saturday – Christmas – Sam purchased two tickets for La Morte Civile (The Civil Death) starring the Italian actor Tommaso Salvini (1829-1915), which played one night, Thursday, Dec. 30 [Hartford Courant, Dec. 27 p2. “This Week’s Entertainments”]. Note: from 1873 to 1889 Salvini made five trips to the U.S.
December 24 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Frank Bliss to order several books for the Camoēns Library in Portugal as a contribution, in care of the Consul General of Portugal in New York City [MTLE 5: 223].
December 22 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to David Watt Bowser (“Wattie”) in Dallas, Texas, who had written that he’d won a gold medal for his paper. Sam asked Wattie to “remember me kindly to your teacher [Laura Wright Dake]” [MTLE 5: 231].
December 21 Tuesday – Sam introduced Joe Twichell to General Grant, so he might have a “private talk in the interest of the Chinese Educational Mission here in the U.S.” (Hartford). Saving the mission was a cause close to the heart of Twichell (see Mar.15, 1881 entry). Note: Grant wrote to Li Hung Chang in the Chinese government, arguing that closing the mission would be an error.