Day By Day Dates

February 4 Friday – In Hartford Sam finished the letter begun Feb. 3 to William Smith. He’d received Smith’s books and expressed a desire to visit Morley on his next trip to England. Both he and Livy enjoyed the “beautiful and interesting” books by Smith.

February 5 Saturday – In Hartford Sam responded to a Mrs. Thornburgh (identity unknown), saying she wasn’t “troubling him too much,” but that he’d been away from journalism some seventeen years and knew only “two newspaper men in all the east” [MTP]. Her request must have had something to do with journalism. (Her earlier letter is not listed in the MTP’s Incoming file.)

February 6 Sunday – In Hartford Sam accepted an invitation by John M. Holcombe (husband to the woman who had sent the form about Feb. 1 renaming the Darby and Joan Club to the Century Club) to speak briefly. It was “pretty short notice,” Sam wrote but he would be glad to come and “weave a 5-minute discourse out of” the remarks of other speakers [MTP]. Note: No doubt this was the Feb.

February 7 Monday – John W. Chapman, an assistant chaplain of the City Missionary Society of New York wrote to Sam of the death of Jesse M.

February 8 Tuesday – Sam went to New York City, where he stayed from Feb. 8 to 11 at the Victoria Hotel. He took care of business while in the City and spoke at the Stationers Board of Trade dinner on Feb. 10 [MTNJ 3: 278n180].

February 9 Wednesday – Sam was in New York, staying at the Victoria Hotel. At 10:45 P.M. he finished writing and memorizing his speech for the Stationers Dinner [Feb. 10 to Livy].

February 10 Thursday – In New York at 2 P.M., Sam wrote to Livy:

…I have memorized 71 lines in a day & kept them in an absolutely exact state during 8 hours of sleep.

I have had a lecture to-day, & shall attend to some business duties the rest of the afternoon. I love you, dearest [MTP].

February 11 Friday – Sam returned to Hartford [MTNJ 3: 278n180].

William Carey, editor for Century Magazine wrote to Sam enclosing Caroline Le Row’s Feb. 11 to Robert Underwood Johnson. Le Row’s note informed them of changes she’d made in the proofs. Carey wrote, “As you suggested we forwarded a proof of “English as she is Taught” to Miss Le row, with the enclosed result.” If Sam wanted further changes, it would have to be done on the plates [MTP].

February 12 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Rev. John W. Chapman, who wrote on Feb. 7 of Jesse Madison Leathers’ death.

I never saw Leathers, but was acquainted with him through a forced correspondence.

February 13 Sunday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam and enclosed a proof for his “Editor’s Study” for the May issue of Harper’s as to why the public cared for Mark Twain’s books “in prodigious degree” — “under every fantastic disguise they are honest and true.” Howells also touched upon an old issue:

February 14 Monday – William Dean Howells wrote again to Sam.

That invention of casting brass was to have been applied to wall-paper printing, wasn’t it, if the castings could be made free of air-holes? What was the technical phrase for this elimination of air-holes? I want to use this invention in my story [April Hopes (1888)]. — I’ve just read your speech to the publishers. Mrs. Howells thought with me that it was delicious, but accused you of inventing that boy’s comp. [composition on girls] Did you?

February 15 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to John W. Chapman. In his letter of Feb. 12, Sam asked Chapman to tell him what he knew about Jesse Leathers.  Chapman answered on Feb. 14.

February 17 Thursday – George J. Magee for Clearfield Bituminous Coal in Corning N.Y. sent Sam a form-letter offer to buy stock to cover expenses of the purchase of said company. Sam wrote “No” on the envelope [MTP].

J.F. Swords wrote acknowledging a letter from Sam’s attorney Whitmore relating to Sam’s signature for one share in the Hartford Amusement Assoc., which was on their document [MTP].

February 21 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote a one-liner to Ingersoll Lockwood.

Upon reflection, I am convinced that my size would render me too conspicuous for comfort [MTP].

Alphonse Loisette wrote to Sam from “The Loisettian School of Physiological Memory” enclosing his third “lesson.” Loisette mentioned he’d “just heard from Mr. Stanchfield. He says he has inspired the formation of two classes” [MTP]. Note: John B. Stanchfield.

February 23 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam’s sister Pamela arrived from California for a six-day visit.

Paine writes of Sam’s Browning Class, which met every Wednesday during this period (see 1887 begin):

“Once, at a class-meeting, after finishing ‘Easter Day,’ he made a remark which the class requested him to ‘write down.’ It is recorded on the fly-leaf of Dramatis Personæ as follows:”

February 24 Thursday – William H. Gillette wrote enclosing a $1,000 check which he said “is to go into the ancient acct ‘Professor’” [MTP]. Note: Sam gave William his start on the stage by funding the play of that name.

February 25 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote a short note to Charles Webster, asking him to come to Hartford and join Pamela Moffett (visiting) and his wife Annie Moffett Webster for “rest & recreation” from his neuralgia [MTP].

February 26 Saturday– Sam presented a paper to the Monday Evening Club titled “Machine Culture.” This was Sam’s eleventh presentation to the Club since his election in 1873 [Monday Evening Club].

An interview with Sam ran in the Bismark Daily Tribune:

March 1 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Charles Webster. Sam liked the book by Edmund C. Stedman, but didn’t “think very well of it.” This was the multi-volume Library of American Literature, which Webster was committed to and Sam later thought helped sink the firm. Sam wanted to discuss that book and two others he did think should be published when Charles came up to join his wife visiting her mother, Pamela Moffett.

March 2 Wednesday – Assuming Pamela Moffett’s six-day visit at the Clemens home did not extend, she would have left by this day.

March 3 Thursday –

Check #  Payee  Amount  [Notes]

3611  Wm D Kelly  2.62

March 4 Friday – In Hartford Sam responded to an unidentified man about Professor Loisette’s memory system, probably one of many questions he was pestered with after allowing his name to be used in Loisette’s advertisements (see 1887 beginning entry).

March 5 Saturday – Theodore and Susan L. Crane arrived at the Clemens home for a visit [Livy to her mother, Mar. 3, MTP].

March 7 Monday – The Monday Evening Club met at the Clemens home [Livy to her mother, Mar. 3, MTP].

H.M. Olmstead, Treas. Of Crown Point Iron Co., N.Y. sent a printed form letter of a “Preambleand Resolution” adopted at their Mar. 2 meeting [MTP].

March 8 Tuesday – Henry Ward Beecher died of a cerebral hemorrhage at 9 A.M. after only a few hours struggle. He was 73. His family would, in time, repay Webster & Co. The $5,000 advance for his autobiography [Powers, MT A Life 514]. A great controversy arose in Chicago over “the failure of the Congregational ministers to adopt unanimously the resolution to send a telegram of condolence to Mrs. Beecher at their meeting yesterday” [New York Times, Mar.