Day By Day Dates

April – St. Nicholas Club, N.Y. sent Sam an engraved invitation and ticket to the May 1 Centenary celebration of Washington’s inauguration [MTP]. Note: Sam would not attend.

April 1 Monday –Sam returned to Hartford in time to give a reading at “Lib” Hamersley’s, including “Encounter with an Interviewer,” “The Skinned Man,” selections from HF and the Jumping Frog [MTNJ 3: 446; Fatout, MT Speaking 659]. Note: This reading was originally scheduled for Apr. 2 but was changed by Ellen T. Johnson in her Mar. 8 letter. Sam later noted to send thanks for the roses he was given for this event [MTNJ 3: 469n217]. 

April 2 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam went to see physician Marcus M. Johnson [MTNJ 3: 469n215].

He also wrote to his N.Y. attorney at Alexander & Green, Daniel Whitford, letter not extant but referred to in Whitford’s Apr. 4.

April 3 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Charles Noel Flagg (1848–1916) noted portrait artist, thanking him for compliments sent. Flagg painted Sam’s portrait when Sam was 55 [MTP].

April 4 Thursday – In Hartford Sam responded to Abraham G. Mills’ letter agreeing that Mills should read Carter’s letter and then introduce him at the baseball dinner on Apr. 8. Sam reminded him, not to address him as Clemens. “I am Mark Twain in public — never Clemens.” He also asked that Mills not send a carriage for him and Twichell unless it was raining, as they “always walk when the weather will allow it” [MTP].

April 5 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Augustin Daly feeling he owed him and the actress Miss Rehan, who was the idol of his girls.

I have written wonderful books, which have revolutionized politics & religion in the world; & you might think that that is why my children hold my person to be sacred, but it isn’t so: it is because I know Miss Rehan & Mr. Drew personally [MTP]. Note: Ada Rehan and John Drew were notables on the N.Y. stage.

April 6 Saturday – Webster & Co. wrote to Sam (O’Reilly to Hall Mar. 27 encl.) referring O’Reilly’s suggestion that the later events of the Pope’s life should be included in a new edition, since if the Pope died, it would not take advantage of the “excitement incident” to it [MTP]. Note: among his recent achievements, the Pope founded the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

April 8 Monday – Sam and Livy (judging from Sam’s Apr. 15 to Susan L. Crane) went to New York and stayed at the Murray Hill Hotel. In the evening, Sam gave a speech at the “Baseball Dinner,” Delmonico’s in New York, which he titled, “The Grand Tour-1. The Sandwich Islands.” Fatout writes:

April 9 Tuesday – Sam gave another private reading, probably in New York. His notebook selections included, “Encounter with an Interviewer,” “The Skinned Man,” selections from HF and the Jumping Frog, and all of the Lucerne girl tale about a stranger acting as if she knew him [MTNJ 3: 446]. Livy was disappointed being unable to visit Theodore and Susan L. Crane, who evidently had left the city [Sam to Crane, Apr. 15].

April 10 Wednesday – In Hartford, Sam responded to an unidentified person he addressed as “My Dear Cousins.”

I suppose you have got it a little wrong, & that you are cousin to my niece Mrs. Annie Moffett Webster, of Fredonia, N.Y. My wife’s former name was Langdon, & she doesn’t seem to have any relatives outside of the State of New York [MTP].

April 11 Thursday – In Hartford, Sam responded to an unidentified man who evidently asked what effect the Paige typesetter would have on the costs of composition. Sam’s reply shows how high the expectations for the machine were:

April 12 Friday – Sam and Livy went to New York and stayed at the Murray Hill Hotel [Apr.15 to Crane]. He gave a reading there the next day at Miss Brown’s.

Sam’s notebook: [check] # 4830. Apl. 12. $40. — 2,000 miles [3: 470].

April 13 Saturday – Sam gave a reading at Miss Annie Brown’s in New York City. He included “True Story,” and “Uncle Remus” [Fatout, MT Speaking 659]. This reading was to benefit the Society of Collegiate Alumnae, working to help lower class working women in the city [MTNJ 3: 468n211]. It was one of several charity readings Sam gave during this year.

April 15 Monday – In Hartford, Sam wrote his thanks to Abraham G. Mills for the “good time!” he and Twichell had at the Baseball Dinner on Apr. 8. He apologized for “sliding out without a thank-you or a world of good-night to you” but they didn’t want to interrupt him so asked a Mr. Lynch to do the honors for them [MTP].

April 16 Tuesday – Dora Wheeler wrote to Sam about the photographs her friend Teddy Hewitt had made of him. “Teddy says he will make over any plates you want to you.” Hewitt turned all his negatives over to C.C. Cox, the photographer who Stedman had hired to work on the Library of American Literature [MTNJ 3: 470n222].

April 17 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote his mother-in-law, Olivia Lewis Langdon, in poor health but coming for a visit. Sam told her of Livy’s needed rest for pinkeye and being under the care of Dr. William T. Bacon. Sam wrote of the “good season” and the “blackbirds in full bloom…Summer threatens to break on us now, any day & make everything beautiful.” He also advised her to bring her “other dress along,” for a “grand charity ball” at Mrs.

April 18 Thursday – In Hartford, Sam wrote a letter about how to remove tattoos to the editor of the New York Sun. The letter ran in the Apr. 21 issue — see entry.

April 19 Friday – Nathan Haskell Dole for Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., Boston photographer wrote to Sam: “Mr. Crowell has had the executioner place your head upon the block, the cross-cut did its work and I have the honor of sending you a proof of your own decapitation with the hope that it will merit your approval.” Sam wrote on the env., “Answer when the picture comes” [MTP].

April 20 Saturday – In Hartford, Sam answered Samuel Moffett’s letter to Livy. The Moffetts were planning a trip east from San Francisco, and wanted to visit.

April 21 Sunday – The New York Sun ran Sam’s letter of Apr. 18:

To the Editor of The Sun — Sir: I find the following suggestive derelict wandering about the ocean of journalism:

April 22 Monday – Anna Hoit Bumstead wrote from Atlanta thanking Sam for his $25 check [MTP]. Note: Sam sent an annual check for this amount to the widow Ware and her children.

April 23 Tuesday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam: “Your favor received. I would have gotten rid of Mrs. Crowley easily and quickly except that she was brought to the office personally by Col. Grant, who asked me to give her matter consideration. I knew of course we did not want the book.” Hall presumed that Col Grant’s remark of Sam having the deciding vote was what put the lady “on his scent” [MTP].

April 24 Wednesday – Reading in Volume 1 of The Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning, Sam noted his progress along the margin on p.207: “Begin here Apl. 24/89” [Gribben 105]. (See Apr. 4)

April 25 Thursday – Jennie A. Eustace from Elmira wrote from N.Y.C. asking Sam “to write a part in this new play which shall fit me — me and only me. And then I want you to insist on Mr. Frohman engaging me to play it” [MTP].

H.H. Kelsey, Graham Taylor, and J.B. Pierce wrote a postcard from Hartford to Sam asking for the return of a “subscription list” sent on Apr. 9. Sam wrote on the card, “Haven’t got it” [MTP].

April 26 Friday – A. Bourne wrote a note to Sam decrying the same N.Y. World article, “A Book Canvasser’s Woes” (enclosed) “This outrageous twisting of fact…” Sam wrote on the env., “No, we can’t kill lies by denying their truth” [MTP].

Republican Club of New York sent Sam an engraved admission card to the club for a period of Apr. 26 to May 6, 1889  [MTP].