Day By Day Dates

April 27 Saturday – Thomas S. Fox for Albany Evening Union wrote to Sam. Fox wanted to use the Kaolatype process “in a small local way,” not in the country at large [MTP]. Note: Whitmore had given him a $3,000 price to use the process in the U.S.

April 28 Sunday – In Hartford, Sam sent regrets to Clarence W. Bowen, advising that “At the last moment I find myself obliged to remain at home,” and gave up his seat at the banquet for the Centennial Celebration in New York of Washington’s taking the oath of office [MTP]. See Apr. 8.

April 29 Monday – C.B. Baker wrote from Oakland, Nebr. to Sam:

Oh Mark! What an old selfish fraud you are! That “World” article was inspired by a provoked public. How you led [illegible word] that poor actor write his own play! Col. Sellers. John Raymond was one of a thousand victims. I am another. I took four of your books to a 2d hand book store yesterday. I see the people at last are “going for you” [MTP]. Note: obviously either a put-on or not a fan

April 30 Tuesday – In Hartford, Sam gave his signature this date to an unidentified person [MTP].

May – In Hartford, Sam finished CY this month [Kaplan 293]. He also penned two paragraphs as a stock answer to editors as to the status of the Paige typesetter.

…we are hoping, & also expecting, that the Paige Compositor will be finished by the 15th of July. It will use moveable type, of the ordinary sort. By the manipulation of one person it will set type, & at the same time will automatically distribute, accurately space, and perfectly justify the lines.

May 1 Wednesday – Nineteen-year-old Therese Reichenberger wrote to thank Sam for his gracious answer to her prior letter. Sam reminded himself to “write her by & by” on the first page of her letter, and added a listing in his notebook of her Frankfurt address [MTNJ 3: 486&n16].

Reading in Volume 1 of The Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning, Sam noted his progress along the margin on p.225: “Begin here May 1/89” [Gribben 105]. (See Apr. 24, May 15)

May 2 Thursday – Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote to Sam [MTP]. “I do not think the reformation of the agreement with Mrs. Richardson should be delayed longer. I therefore enclose it to you. Do examine it carefully and if there is anything you wish explained bold it and let me know…. I judge from the tone of Mr. Frohman’s letter which I sent you that he was unable to make anything out of what Mr. House had written” [MTP].

May 3 Friday – Thomas S. Fox for Albany Evening Union wrote to Sam inquiring about using the Kaolatype process [MTP].

Jeannette L. Gilder for The Critic wrote to Sam wishing to know “the truth of the case” about the P&P play with Elsie Leslie. She’d received a note from Edward House that he had signed a contract with you about the play. Who had the rights? [MTP].

May 4 Saturday – Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote a short note advising Sam, enclosing a copy of Frohman’s May 3 having to do with who might act in the P&P lead role. Frohman believed it could not be played by someone over the age of 15. [MTP].

May 5 Sunday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam: “I wrote to the Texas ‘cub’ the same day I received your letter. I said what you suggested, on your behalf, and added some personal recollections of his grandparents, whom I remembered. I wrote kindly.” He added family goings on and hope for the typesetter [MTP].

May 6 Monday – Webster & Co. wrote to Sam summarizing current business income and outlays. “The enclosed report explains itself.” No report is with the letter in the file [MTP].

May 7 Tuesday – Sam and Livy attended a Charity Ball, Union for House Work, at the Hartford Foot Guard Armory [MTNJ 3: 468n212]. Sam was on the reception committee, joined by the Governor and other big wigs. The charity supported “reading rooms for boys and girls, a day-nursery, sewing and cooking schools, a clothing-club, lending library,” and affordable tenement houses [438n101].

May 8 Wednesday – In Hartford, Sam wrote a two-sentence note to the editor of The Critic:

One dramatic version of the Prince & Pauper will be put upon the state in the autumn, but not two [MTP].

Note: The editor at this time was Jeannette Leonard Gilder and Joseph Benson Gilder, siblings of the Century’s Richard Watson Gilder.

May 9 Thursday – Sam’s notebook carries an entry about the defeat this day in England’s House of Lords, a bill legalizing marriage between a widower and his deceased wife’s sister. Sam concluded:

Without the Established Church the bill would have had a majority [MTNJ 3: 487].

May 10 Friday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam. Sister Pamela had arrived and he wrote:

We made a confidant of her, after pledging her to secrecy. Afterward your letter of the 7th came. It was just as Pamela was starting for the hack, which had driven to the door. She was made acquainted with the contents of your letter and its printed enclosure…promising to keep silence, and especially by …agreeing to say nothing about the machine… [MTP].

May 11 Saturday – In Hartford, Sam read for the Saturday Morning Club, which included “Isaac Muleykeh,” “King Arthur,” “Interviewer,” and “Christening” [Fatout, MT Speaking 659]. The club met at 10:30 a.m. [MTNJ 3: 472]. Budd calls this last item, “The Christening Yarn” [Collected 1: 938].

May 12 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Horatio C. King wishing he “could be there when you celebrate in Orange, but unfortunately I shall be far away at that time.” King had invited Sam to a New Jersey event for the Society of the Army of the Potomac [MTP].

May 13 Monday – A new contract was signed between Sam and Abby Sage Richardson, this time including Daniel Frohman, for the dramatization of P&P. (See Mar. 25) Fatout writes:

May 14 Tuesday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam asking clarification if he was to “speak to Mr. Stedman with reference to reading” Sam’s new book, CY [MTP].

May 15 Wednesday – Sam made a 7:45 p.m. dinner speech at Jarvis Hall, Trinity College, Hartford for the Ology Club [Fatout, MT Speaking 659]. His notebook entry of “Explosions” under this event notice suggests he may have spoken on the New York City problem of subway explosions caused by gas leaks [MTNJ 3: 473n233].

May 16 Thursday – In Hartford Sam wrote a letter of introduction for his nephew, Samuel Moffett, to Henry M. Alden, of Harper & Brothers. Moffett at this time was an editor on the San Francisco Examiner and was soon to visit. Sam added, “it may be that he can furnish you some magazine of value” [MTP].

May 17 Friday – Alfred Waters wrote from Auckland, NZ to Sam seeking an autograph [MTP].

May 18 Saturday – In Hartford Sam answered the May 11 letter from Edward P. Clark for N.Y. Evening Post, apologizing for the week delay.

Enclosed please find $25. I owe you a thousand apologies for my unpromptness in answering; but during the past ten days I have been in one of those whirlwinds of activity… [MTP]. Note: it was Sam’s habit to answer most mail he intended to answer promptly.

May 19 Sunday – The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p.20, printed an interview, “Mark Twain Chatty: He Tells of His Former Life as a Reporter.” The interview is datelined May 17, but refers to Sam’s February trip to Washington.

May 20 Monday – Edward P. Clark for N.Y. Evening Post wrote acknowledging Sam’s his letter of the 18th and check for $25 toward the Welch Memorial Fund [MTP].

Dean Sage wrote to Sam that he and Parsons would go and inspect the typesetter and if satisfactory would buy some stock in it. He also reported meeting Francis Hopkinson Smith Saturday night [MTP].