Day By Day Dates

January 18 Sunday – Robert Green Ingersoll, whom Sam had met at the Chicago banquet of Nov. 14, 1879, wrote to Sam about attendance at a festival for Robert Burns:

January 19 Monday – In Elmira, Sam wrote to Moncure Conway. He acknowledged receipt of funds from Chatto. “Dod-rot the new book—as John the Baptist would say—it hangs along drearily.”

January 24 Saturday – In Elmira, Sam wrote to Howells. Sam asked if he went to the Tile Club dinner in New York.

January 25 Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira to his sister, Pamela Moffett. He told of their plans to return to Hartford, and of his mother-in-law’s stomach ache.

January 27 Tuesday – Sam wrote a one-liner from Elmira to an unidentified female: “Well, my dear, I won’t forget you if you don’t forget me. That is fair” [MTLE 5: 15].

January 29 Thursday – Mary Keily in Lancaster, Penn. Insane asylum, finished a letter to Sam begun on Jan. 27, asking again for $5 [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “From lunatic”. Note: Mary’s several letters in the files are extremely long, rambling and non-sensical. For the most part they have not been quoted in this volume out of respect for the mentally disturbed.

February – Sam wrote to Frank Fuller, responding to a proposal (not extant).

February 3 Tuesday – In Boston, Howells wrote to Sam of health of the wives, a sketch sent by Sam and a recent event: “That Tile Club Dinner, I’m told, was great affair: darkies in fezes and yataghans waiting on the guests, and narghiles ad libitum” [MTHL 1: 289].

February 4 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Frank and Elizabeth (“Lil”) Millet, congratulating them on the birth of their first child. “The Clemenses congratulate you heartily, notwithstanding their irritating disappointment—they were hoping it was going to be triplets” [MTLE 5: 17].

February 6 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Mary Mason Fairbanks, enclosing a picture of their house made by Dan Slote’s engraving process. Sam denied the rumor that he “coveted a seat in Congress.” Livy was “an invalid again in a small way”; the girls were “well & hearty” [MTLE 5: 18].

Rev. Thomas A. Davis wrote to Clemens. In part:

February 7 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles B. Andrews (1836-1902), Governor of Conn. Sam enclosed the Feb. 6 letter from “Rev. Mr. Davis” that mentioned the Governor; Sam wished to verify the Governor’s recommendation [MTLE 5: 19]. Note: See Feb. 11 reply from Andrews.

Sam also wrote to Orion.

February 9 Monday – R.P. Sawyers wrote from St. Louis to ask Sam about the claim made in RI that the govt. paid $50,000 “as a royalty” for the perforating machine for postage stamps; he’d also read the govt. lost five million a year from people washing and reusing stamps. Could Sam verify these claims? [MTP]. Note: a self-addressed (no stamp) env. is in the file, suggesting Sam did not reply.

February 10 Tuesday – William Gedney Bunce wrote to advise Sam that “Your picture starts today”—evidently a picture ordered [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Wm Gedney Bunch, Artist”.

February 11 Wednesday – Charles B. Andrews replied to Sam’s inquiry and forward of Thomas A. Davis’ letter. Andrews answered that he did not know Davis [MTP]. See Feb. 6 from Davis and Feb. 7 from Sam.

Ellen (Mary) Keily (ca.1816-1901), resident of the Lancaster, Penn. county alms house and insane asylum, began a rambling, sometimes incoherent letter to Clemens that she finished on Feb. 12. In part:

Dear Mark. / I sit down to write to you once more.

February 12 Thursday – Ellen (Mary) Keily finished her Feb. 11 to Sam.

February 14 Saturday – C.S. Jackson wrote to thank Sam for his advice [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “From the youth whom I advised against using a nom de plume.”

February 17 Tuesday – Jesse Madison Leathers wrote from NYC to Sam, unable to visit before the 21st. “This is all the better, as we shall have the pleasure of celebrating the anniversary of the Father of our country together on Monday, the 23d inst” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “From the Earl”.

February 18 Wednesday – Sam wrote to Frank Fuller, responding to a proposal (not extant).

February 20? Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to William Mackay Laffan. He enclosed an invitation from Lawrence Barrett for the 50th anniversary celebration of J.R. Osgood at Delmonico’s, Feb. 28, 7 PM. Sam wrote “(Private.)/Dear Laffan: /Who is this? Neither Mrs. Clemens nor I can” [MTLE 5: 22].

February 21 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Orion, sending a card for him to mail in case he no longer received the Atlantic Monthly. He had a cold “as heavy as ever” but the children were well. Sam related having a “pleasant dream about Molly last night, but an unpleasant one about myself—I thought I was baptized” [MTLE 5: 23].

February 23 Monday – Frank Fuller wrote from NYC to Sam.

February 24 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Frank Fuller.

      Enclosed please find the original draft of recipe for infants’ food.

February 26 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Orion. He was “grinding away” on The Prince and the Pauper. He needed to get other things off his mind so challenged Orion to write two books, works that Sam would never have time to do but which he’d thought of years before.

February 28 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Orion, asking him to return the 1601 manuscript (Or, Conversation As it Was by the Social Fireside, in the time of the Tudors) “& keep no copy of it.”  Evidently, Sam had given the risqué sketch to his brother during his and Mollie’s recent visit to Hartford, and later thought better of it.

February 29 Sunday – Orion Clemens wrote from Keokuk to Sam, adding to it on Mar. 1. “We left Fredonia Wednesday, and arrived here Thursday—26 hours from Dunkirk…Yesterday I wrote 20 pages with great satisfaction…We received your welcome letter Friday, and were glad to hear the little ones are well” [MTP].