February 24 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Hapgood dinner 49 W. 57” [NB 44 TS 6].

Nathan Kite family and the William L. Price family wrote to Sam that his picture was on their wall and they’d “adopted” him as a saint: “A long and useful like to thee in the cause of brother man” [MTP].

William Dean Howells wrote his sister, Miss Aurelia Howells, and included a paragraph about Mark Twain which is rather instructive of their activities during this time:

February 23 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “(See Mar 2) University Club—dinner—7.30 o’clock. Stone’s at 9. Corey & Judge Howland” [NB 44 TS 6]. Note: Henry Elias Howland, (1835-1913), former Supreme Court Justice, president of the University Club, popular and witty speaker; William Ellis Corey. Stone’s is not identified. Sam initially misdated the dinner, which took place on Mar. 2

February 22 Friday – Rev. Washington Gladden of the First Congregational Church, Columbus, Ohio to Sam; a friend of Rev. Ament’s, Gladden wrote “To any one who knows Mr. Ament these charges have not for one moment been credible” [MTP].

Thomas Hunt wrote compliments of Twain’s “Sitting in Darkness” article: “O that there were more men in this world like you and Henry George and that you might always be with us!” [MTP].

February 21 Thursday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote thanks to Brander Matthews “for that dedication… / The Supreme Court didn’t need to worry: I was going to assume all the responsibilities any way, just because of the confidence I have always had in you” [MTP]. Note: see Matthews’ dedication in his new book, Feb. 20 entry.

February 20 Wednesday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to William Carey of Century Magazine. Sam wrote to him at the University Club: “Carey says he knows I would rather write than be President. This has all the ear-marks of one of Carey’s ordinary every-day lies” [MTP]. Note: See June 14, 1897 entry; Carey died later in 1901 in his forties.

Sam also wrote to Henry R. Chamberlain, head of Laffan’s news service in China.

February 19 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Aldine dinner in honor of Howells, new Pres. Of Natl Institute Arts & Letters” [NB 44 TS 6].

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to nephew Samuel E. Moffett: “Please attend to him, Sam & tell him I am too ignorant of the matter & too busy” [MTP]. Note: the remainder of the letter is torn off; this may relate to the Montgomery request for family matter recently referred to Moffett.

February 18 Monday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam sent his decline-to-lecture form letter (see Feb. entry) to Wallace E. Mason, attorney and principal of the High School in Leominster, Mass. Note: (pronounced by natives and the editor’s daughter who lives there, as “Lemon stah”—displaying a native eschewing for the letter ‘R’) [MTP].

February 17 Sunday – Edwin L. Godkin wrote compliments of Twain’s “Sitting in Darkness” article [MTP].

Charles Erskine Scott Wood of Portland, Ore. wrote complimenting the “Sitting in Darkness” article— “it’s a great work. It’s effective, do it some more.” He would be in N.Y. around Mar. 8; was there a chance of seeing him? [MTP]. Note: Wood was a partner in the law firm of Williams, Wood & Linthicum.

February 16 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Dine—7.30 Leigh Hunt, Holland House” [NB 44 TS 6]. Note: Leigh S.J. Hunt. See Jan. 1.

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam replied to Paschal H. Coggins (Sidney Marlow), who wrote on Feb. 13.

February 15 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Doubleday, 7 pm 111 E. 16th” [NB 44 TS 6].

Sam was unable to attend the Feb. 14 annual Sheriff’s Jury dinner at the Hotel Savoy, and so wrote a letter declining shortly before. The New York Tribune ran Twain’s letter on p.6:

SHERIFF’S JURORS DINE.

————

MARK TWAIN’S LETTER OF DECLINATION

AROUSES LAUGHTER.