Day By Day Dates

March 12 Wednesday – Livy wrote on Mar. 2 and 3 that Sam would gain occupancy of Millet’s studio on this day.

Christian Tauchnitz wrote to Sam. “In accordance with your kind lines of March 8, I have much pleasure in handing you enclosed the additional M. 200—in a draft at sight of Frs. 250” [MTP].

March 16 Sunday – Bill and receipt from Munroe & Co., Paris for Normandy Hotel5,285 Francs [MTP].

March 18 Tuesday – Sam wrote from the Normandy Hotel, Paris to Edward F. Noyes (1832-1890) accepting an invitation for President Grevy’s reception on Thursday evening. Sam mentioned Moncure Conway, who was in Paris at the time [MTLE 4: 39]. Note: Noyes lost a leg in the Civil War and was promoted to brigadier general.

Susy Clemens' seventh birthday.

March 21 and March 22 Saturday – Sam was working hard most evenings on A Tramp Abroad. But on Mardigras at 10 PM Sam went with Moncure Conway and General Edward Noyes to a reception for Jules Grévy, the newly elected president of France. They looked in on some fancy balls. Robert R.

March 23 Sunday – Valentine Besarel, and John Harris sent a “Triplicate Invoice of Goods Despatched” Liverpool to NYC for furniture [MTP]. Note: this letter was not concluded until Apr. 10.

March 24 Monday – Sam wrote from the Normandy Hotel, Paris to Andrew Chatto, making a “special request” for “that box of first-class quill-nibs which I asked you for some time ago.” He also asked for a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer [MTLE 4: 40]. Sam was not well enough to go out, suffering again from dysentery [41].

March 25 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Paris to famous American artist, George Peter Alexander Healy (1813-1894), who did masterpiece portraits of Lincoln, Buchanan, Tyler and other great Americans. Healy had called on the Clemenses but they were out visiting at the time. Evidently Healy was interested in doing a portrait of Twain.

March 26 Wednesday – Gustavo Sarfatti sent Sam a bill of lading for goods shipped [MTP].

Frank Bliss wrote to Clemens about taking his time with a MS. “It is beginning to be noised about that I am to publish your book.” Frank wanted it kept quiet [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Answered”.

March 28 Friday – Sam’s notebook:

March 30 Sunday – Sam and Livy (and Susy per her father) wrote from Paris to Olivia Lewis Langdon.

March 31 Monday – Clemens gave a reading which included “The Invalid’s Story,” for the Stanley Club Dinner, Paris, France [MTPO].

April – Sam wrote in his notebook:

“Religion consists in a set of things which the average man thinks he believes, & wishes he was certain” [MTNJ 2: 305].

Right below this entry, Sam wrote:

“White, now of Berlin—Yes, G is a d—d old nepot!”

April 1 Tuesday – Elisha Bliss wrote to Sam after receiving his letter. He’d discussed copyright matters with Sam’s attorney, Charles E. Perkins. His handwriting degraded some here. There was some confusion about TS being a book to fulfill the Riley contract [MTP].

April 2 Wednesday – The Rose Library, a semi-monthly containing a “complete novel by the best Authors,” ran The Adventures of Tom Sawyer [Alan C. Fox Rare Books, Item 133. no date].

April 6 Sunday – John Hanlon wrote from Paris to Sam. “I am busy writing out the interesting interview of this afternoon, which you will have at the earliest possible moment.

April 7 Monday – Valentine Besarel wrote to Sam about goods shipped and reminded of amounts due. He’d rec’d Sam’s of Mar. 30 [MTP].

April 10 Thursday – Valentine Besarel, and John Harris wrote to Sam [MTP]. Note: this letter began Mar. 23.

April 12 Saturday – Sam’s notebook:

April 13 Sunday – From Livy to her mother:

“Susy grows sweet and womanly all the time and Clara is the same rowdy as ever—sweet tempered, but very hard to make any impression on” [Salsbury 101].

April 14 Monday – Leon Mead, contributor to Harper’s Weekly, called on Sam as he was leaving for business in the “neighborhood of the Triumphas Arch.” They walked “to the rue de Rivoli and the Champs Elysee half way to the Arch” and talked about Howells and his “disappointment in the matter of the Pacific excursion” [MTLE 4: 48]. Note: Leon Mead was to call on Sam again in the evening.

April 15 Tuesday – Sam wrote from the Hotel Normandy in Paris to Frank Bliss.

April 19 Saturday – Dr. John Brown wrote from Edinburgh, Scotland to Sam, remembering Susy and the earlier happy visit [MTP].

April 22 Tuesday – Valentine Besarel wrote to Sam. “I have been favored with your letter of the 15th inst, by which I perceive , that you have not yet receive, from Mrs Harris the invoice that I had sent to you. Inclosed you will find a copy of it” [MTP].

April 24 Thursday – Samuel Troll, Fils wrote from Geneva to detail a 2,000 franc invoice for Sam’s music box [MTP].