Day By Day Dates

March 20 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster, asking him to:

“…thank Mr. Whitford for his efforts to get me a stenographer, but I had already secured one, just before your letter came” [MTNJ 2: 517].

Sam also typed a short note to John Russell Young, who had replied to Sam’s request for a visit. “Name the day yourself” Sam offered [MTP].

March 21 Tuesday – From Hartford, Sam typed a letter to Hattie and Karl Gerhardt.

“DON’T YOU IMAGINE ANY NONSENSE ABOUT DISPLEASING US. I AM NOT THE SORT OF PERSON WHO MANIFESTS DISPLEASURE BY SILENCE. I SEND A CABLEGRAM ON THE SPOT. UNTIL YOU GET THAT SORT OF CABLEGRAM, YOU CAN REST PERFECTLY EASY, THAT NO TROUBLE IS BREWING.”

March 22 Wednesday – In Boston, Howells wrote a short note to Sam concerning the “Library of Humor” work and his plans to go to Europe [MTHL 1: 395].

March 23 Thursday – Clara Spaulding arrived at the Clemens home after a trip through the South [MTNJ 2: 458n85].

Frank Fuller wrote to Sam somewhat apologetic for his loss in the “steam-generator” speculation of 1877. He encouraged Sam to buy shares in the Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad [460].

March 24 Friday – The death of Henry W. Longfellow saddened New Englanders. He died at the age of 75 of peritonitis [MTHL 1: 398]. Note: His death particularly affected William Dean Howells, who wrote his father that he called to check on Longfellow’s health almost at the exact moment of death [Goodman and Dawson 216].

March 25 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood about offering the “Stolen White Elephant” to Century. Sam had sent it to Howells to review. There were also some details about letterhead and Charles Clark’s name and P.O. Box being on it [MTP].

March 27 Monday – Sam wrote (typewritten) from Hartford to Charles Webster.

“Come come my boy, tell me what you have been doing. I may be in New York for an hour tomorrow; cannot tell yet” [MTBus 184].

Sam also wrote Howells, who wrote of his shock at Longfellow’s door upon learning of the man’s death:

March 28 Tuesday – Sam went to New York City and was interviewed at the Hotel Brunswick. The following interview appeared on Mar. 29, 1882 in the Wheeling West Virginia Register, reprinted from an article in the N.Y. Mail and Express (mentioned in the article) probably the day before.

March 29 Wednesday – According to the New York Times, page 8 under “PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE,” Samuel L. Clemens, of Hartford,” was at the Hotel Brunswick.

March 30 Thursday – Sam wrote to Christian Tauchnitz, letter not extant but referred to in Tauchnitz, Jr.’s reply of Apr. 15.

March 31 Friday – Hubbard & Farmer bankers & brokers wrote two notes: sold stock and bought J. B. & Y Western @ 45 ½ [MTP]. 

April – Sam’s notebook has an entry “Gillette ask Chas W Butler about Mrs. Bruner’s play—‘A Mad World’.” Butler was an actor [Gribben 107]. Sam also jotted notes about Mike Fink [229]. Also in his notebook: “War Diary of Gen. Geo. H. Gordon,” referring to A War Diary of Events in the War of the Great Rebellion (1882) [268]. Another entry reads, “Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason—Max Muller’s translation. Macmillan, N.Y.” [363].

April 1 Saturday – Schwartz Bros., New York (soon to be F.A.O. Schwartz) billed Sam $22.25 for Feb. 17, 18, Mar. 17; “dolls, bow, doll beds & bedding, 1 doz arrows, 2 pr skates 4.50; 1 pr skates” [MTP].

Park & Tilford, New York, billed Sam $5 for Mar. 16 purchase “10 Ool tea” (other bills spell this out as oolong tea); paid Apr. 9 [MTP].

April 2 Sunday – Sam wrote from H​​artford to Joel Chandler Harris, in Atlanta. Twichell recently returned from a trip down South where he called on Harris with a suggestion of Sam’s that Harris appear on stage with him and read the Remus stories. Trouble was, Harris was exceptionally shy.

April 3 Monday – Sam typed a note from Hartford to Charles Wood, at West Point. He enclosed “the original of” the 1601 manuscript as Wood had suggested, and explained there were a few archaic spellings that Wood should feel free to fix. According to Leon, Wood agreed to use West Point’s printing press to run off about 60 copies [228].

April 4 Tuesday – Frank Fuller wrote about his plans for selling stocks [MTP].

George Hamlin wrote on Chicago Grand Opera House notepaper asking for an autograph [MTP]. Note: SASE in file not used.

Caroline B. Le Row wrote to thank Sam for his permission to use McWilliams sketches in her youth reader book [MTP].

April 5 Wednesday – James R. Osgood wrote proposing a royalty for LM [MTP].

Orion Clemens wrote to Sam about “trying to work into business naturally”, Orion to Rhodes & Mclure Apr. 5 enclosed. “My idea was to live in a village and do business in Chicago by aid of the railroads” [MTP].

April 6 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to the office of the Secretary of War, requesting a map of the Mississippi River. In Sam’s notebook: “Cut the map of the Mississippi into 20 pieces (full page size) & interleave it along through the book, beginning at St. Louis & going down section by section to N.O.” [MTNJ 2: 455].

Sam also wrote to William Thomas St. Clair letter not extant but referred to in St. Clair’s Apr. 10 reply.

April 7 Friday – Returning from a trip to Spain, Lucius Fairchild stopped to visit Sam on the way to see his brother Charles Fairchild. He left an umbrella at the Clemens home (see Apr. 8 entry) [Rees 9; MTNJ 2: 513n267].

April 8 Saturday – Lucius Fairchild wrote from Boston to Sam, thanking him for the “pleasant talk” and mentioning the umbrella he gave Livy [Rees 9]. Sam probably received the note on Apr. 10 [MTP].

James R. Osgood wrote to Sam, offering a list of sketches that Howells advised cutting from the Library of Humor, which left 18 pieces at about 80,000 words [MTP].

April 9 Sunday – The Lotos Club, New York receipted Sam $6.25 for dues [MTP].

April 10 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to reply to the Apr. 6 compliments from Rutherford B. Hayes, who had expressed a “happy reception” for P&P at his house. After explaining the receipt of his letter came just when their dinner friends were discussing the potential greatness of the Hayes administration (to Sam another example of “Mental Telegraphy”),  and being “deeply gratified” by Hayes’ letter, Sam added after his signature:

April 11 Tuesday – Office of the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army per H.M. Adams wrote to advise that “a copy of a map of the alluvial basin of the Mississippi River and 16 sheets of the new map …have been sent by today’s mail” [MTP].

April 12 Wednesday – Roswell Phelps mailed Sam a contract for his employment, which Sam signed. Phelps was to receive $100 per month for “at least four weeks” work, all traveling and living expenses and for transcribing notes made on the trip by June 1, one dollar per thousand words. The contract is in the MTP [MTNJ 2: 517].

April 13 Thursday – Karl & Hattie J. Gerhardt wrote to Sam and Livy, delighted with the Clemenses letters even though typed. He’d sent Sam’s last letter to a London Publisher and rec’d a valuable dictionary in return. A detailed page or two of their expenses [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Gerhardt / Part of Expense a/c for 17 ½ months—Mc 17 ’81 to Sept. 1 ’82–/ $900 a year