Day by Day entries are from Mark Twain, Day By Day, four volumes of books compiled by David Fears and made available on-line by the Center for Mark Twain Studies.  The entries presented here are from conversions of the PDFs provided by the Center for Mark Twain Studies and are subject to the vagaries of that process.    The PDFs, themselves, have problems with formatting and some difficulties with indexing for searching.  These are the inevitable problems resulting from converting a printed book into PDFs.  Consequently, what is provided here are copies of copies.  

I have made attempts at providing a time-line for Twain's Geography and have been dissatisfied with the results.  Fears' work provides a comprehensive solution to that problem.  Each entry from the books is titled with the full date of the entry, solving a major problem I have with the On-line site - what year is the entry for.  The entries are certainly not perfect reproductions from Fears' books, however.  Converting PDFs to text frequently results in characters, and sometimes entire sections of text,  relocating.  In the later case I have tried to amend the problem where it occurs but more often than not the relocated characters are simply omitted.  Also, I cannot vouch for the paragraph structure.  Correcting these problems would require access to the printed copies of Fears' books.  Alas, but this is beyond my reach.

This page allows the reader to search for entries based on a range of dates.  The entries are also accessible from each of the primary sections (Epochs, Episodes and Chapters) of Twain's Geography.  

Entry Date (field_entry_date)

Summer 1908

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Summer – Sometime during the summer of 1908, Clemens drafted his Constitution for the Angelfish. It follows:

THE AQUARIUM

Issued By THE ADMIRAL

INNOCENCE AT HOME REDDING, CONN. SUMMER-TIME 1908

Qualifications for Membership

Sincerity, good disposition, intelligence, & school-girl age.

Secrets of the Order

Members of the Aquarium are forbidden to divulge its affairs to any but their parents & guardians.

June 1, 1908 Monday

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June 1 Monday –  Sam was the guest of Col. George Brinton Harvey in Deal, N.J. [June 2 to Allen; June 2 to Sturgis].

Henry Hersch Hart wrote from San Francisco, Calif. to ask for Clemens’ autograph on a note [MTP]. Note: IVL: “Answd June 9, ’08 / Would be so glad to but demands are great”

Lucia Hull wrote from Newport, R.I. to thank Sam for his “awfully sweet letter.” She vowed to keep the letter and someday when her grandchildren were in financial straits she would sell it for a fortune [MTP].

June 2, 1908 Tuesday

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June 2 Tuesday – Sam left the Harvey residence in Deal, N.J. and returned home to New York at noon. Before leaving, he settled on the name “Innocence at Home” for the new home in Redding [June 3 to Clara].

At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Dorothy Sturgis.

I am just back this moment, & find yours of May 27. I have been down in Jersey eight days, visiting around among my angel-fishes of that region, & have had a very good time indeed.

June 3, 1908 Wednesday

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June 3 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Clara.

Well, Clärchen dear, I have your dear letter from ship board saying what fine shape you are in: also there are cablegrams whereby we know you sang twice last Saturday; & now I am waiting for particulars by mail. It seems a good while to wait, too.

June 5, 1908 Friday

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June 5 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Jean, at Eastern Point in Gloucester, Mass.  

Dear Jean, consound the well-intending dog! And certainly he had good intentions, & a heroic spirit. The great big majority of our race are away below him in this regard, & not worthy to untie his shoe-latchets.

Miss Lyon is slaving away at the new house, getting it ready. She will make an admirable job of it if she survives.

June 6, 1908 Saturday

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June 6 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frances Nunnally.

You are a very dear & sweet Francesca to answer so promptly, & you so heavy-laden with work, you poor little chap! But soon you’ll be at sea, & that will be fine & restful. I wish I could go with you.

June 9, 1908 Tuesday

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June 9 Tuesday – Malcolm D. Graham wrote from Hamilton, Bermuda to Sam. “I am indeed glad to have traded the owner of the shell, and am returning it to you by the mail under registered cover & trust it will duly reach you.” He also discussed Bermuda’s weather [MTP]. Note: the “identification” shell was from Helen Blackmer; See May 25 to Graham.

June 11, 1908 Thursday

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June 11 Thursday – Dorothy Quick wrote to Sam.

My dear Mr Clemens

      I received your letter just before I left I’m so sorry you could not have come out to commencement but I must confess I felt very much disappointed I wanted to show you my school and all my friends. Claire took the rabbits I think I can trust her

June 12, 1908 Friday

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June 12 Friday – Charles Hinckley Baker (b. 1864) wrote to Sam, sending his new book Life and Character of William Taylor Baker, President of the World’s Columbian Exposition and of the Chicago Board of Trade, by His Son (1908). Baker inscribed the book: “To Mr. Samuel L. Clemens / ‘Mark Twain’ / with the compliments and good / wishes of the author / Charles H. Baker / June 12th 1908.” Sam wrote on the front pastedown endpaper, “A valuable book, & capably constructed. A tribute from a son to his father which does honor to both. SLC June/08” [Gribben 40; MTP].

June 14, 1908 Sunday

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June 14 Sunday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to daughter Jean (incoming not extant) at Eastern Point in Gloucester, Mass. He was planning a visit to Gloucester.  

The time is drawing near, dear Jean, & I shall be glad to start. Miss Lyon has been hard at work up there among the workman for the past 3 days, & it is now almost definitely settled that next Thursday is my date for moving into the house. There has been a whole world of work to do, but I have escaped it all from the start (a year ago) to the finish.

June 16, 1908 Tuesday

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June 16 Tuesday – Ferris Greenslet for the Aldrich Memorial Museum wrote to Sam about his train connections from Boston to Portsmouth on June 30—even the 10 o’clock train would suffice [MTP].

June 17, 1908 Wednesday

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June 17 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam inscribed a copy of LM to Commander Daniel Dow (1860-1931): “Very truly yours / Mark Twain / To Commander Dow, R.N.R. / June 17/08” [MTP]. Note: this from a message board posted by Dow’s grandson, Michael Dow, in 2004:

June 18, 1908 Thursday

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June 18 Thursday – The History of Redding website notes that Sam arrived at the West Redding Train Station shortly before 6 p.m on the Berkshire Express out of New York. The train made a special stop for Twain and thereafter continued the stop for his many visitors.

June 19, 1908 Friday

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June 19 Friday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Dorothy Quick:

Oh, this will never do! You are having altogether too good a time, you little rascal (because I am not in it.) Still, I’m glad. I mustn’t break into it now, but I’ll have to do it before long; you & your mother will have to pay me a visit here. I want you; & I want my other angel-fishes. I must have a couple of them under this roof all the time, from now until January. There will be 2 under it to-morrow, to stay a week, I hope.

June 21, 1908 Sunday

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June 21 Sunday – The photograph of Clemens playing cards with Dorothy Harvey and her friend Pauline Martin, and Louise Paine was likely taken this day, the day after their arrival at Stormfield [MT Journal Spring/Fall 2006 p. 25].

The New York Times, p. C2 under “Nearly 10,000 Guests Bidden to Windsor,” ran a final paragraph about Clara Clemens:

June 22, 1908 Monday

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June 22 Monday – In Redding, Conn., Isabel Lyon wrote for Sam to Dorothy Quick.

Dear Dorothy: / Mr. Clemens has just left for town, & he asks me to invite your mother & you to come up here on Thursday the second leaving N. Y. Central on the 4:15 train M for Redding. Mr. Clemens & Mr. Paine will be on the same train. Please do not disappoint Mr. Clemens. He sends you much love, & to your mother too. / Yours Ever / I. V. Lyon [MTP].