Day By Day Dates

September 27 Saturday – Back home in Hartford Sam wrote to Senator John P. Jones, enclosing more clarification on the “expert’s report on the Mergenthaler machine,” which Sam noted was a “private document,” of which he had a copy.

These facts, added to the fact that those machines will prove wholly unendurable in a daily newspaper office, make the coast clear [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Ladies of the Onteora Club, thanking them for their gift of a picture, “Mort de Léandre” [MTP].

September 29 or August 23-28 – Sam spoke at the National Wholesale Druggists Association Banquet, Washington, D.C. Fatout reports this as questionably September [MT Speaking 261-2]. Sam may have gone to Washington sometime between Sept. 29 and 30; he was there on Oct. 1. This would leave only a day or two in September for such a speech, but six possible days in August.

September 30 Tuesday – In New York, Susy Clemens wrote to her sister Clara of their shopping in New York, her excitement at going away to college and of missing her.

Dearest, dear Clara; I am sitting in a bright sunny room just now, and would realy be perfectly happy for the time being if only you were here….

I have been rushing around till now with Mamma; and she has gotten me a lot of beautiful undressed kid gloves.

October – Mollie Clemens wrote to Sam [MTP]. Marked “Missing” in the MTP files.

Webster & Co. sent Sam a “Books sent report”: 7,564 total ; 2,699 CY [MTP].

Samuel Spaulding, Hartford, receipted $30 for “Sprinkling Farmington Ave in front of premises during the season of 1890” [MTP].

October 1 Wednesday – Sam was in Washington, D.C. to visit Senator John P. Jones and probably delivered John Brusnahan’s report [MTNJ 3: 583n36]. Sam wrote a one line note to Franklin G. Whitmore, enclosing a draft for an unknown amount. He asked Whitmore to “Turn in at U.S. Bank to my credit, Brer” [MTP]. Was this another deposit from Jones, perhaps from the two additional investors Jones had pledged to bring in at $5,000 each?

October 2 Thursday – The Brooklyn Eagle, p.4 ran an article about the upcoming drama of P&P by Edward H. House, “How a Woman Bids Fair to Outwit Mark Twain”:

October 3 Friday – Unknown person for the N.Y. Sun sent Sam a printed, three-page folded form signed by Theo. L. De Vinne, president of the New-York Machine Type-setting Co.,which sang the praises of the McMillan typesetting machine [MTP].

October 4 Saturday – In Bryn Mawr, Penn. Sam wrote to Joe Goodman that he was “just back from Washington,” and that John P. Jones “seems quite well satisfied,” and would soon leave for California.

Susy entered this college as a freshman three or four days ago. It is by long odds the best female college in the world [MTP].

Sam, Livy and Susy stayed at the Summit Grove Inn, J.W. Arthur proprietor, waiting for Susy to be assigned a room; a new dormitory was not quite finished. Salsbury writes:

October 5 Sunday – While at Bryn Mawr waiting for Susy to be assigned a room, Sam aided a visiting history scholar, Miss Wergeland, in ordering her meals, since he spoke fluent German and the lady did not speak much English. He performed this service three times a day during the entire stay. Though one girl claimed the Clemens were there two weeks, Sam was back in Hartford by Oct. 11 [Salsbury 281-2]. Did Livy stay on with Susy until she was assigned a room in Radnor Hall? Sam’s Oct. 12 to his sister suggests Sam and Livy left together this day.

October 6 Monday – John Russell Young wrote to Sam inviting him to attend the dinner for Judge Roger Atkinson Pryor (1828-1919) at the Astor House in New York on Thursday, Oct. 9 [MTP]. Note: Pryor was a veteran of the Third Virginia Infantry and Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry. He became a distinguished jurist and judge, rising to the N.Y. Supreme Court in 1894-99. See Oct.8.

October 7 Tuesday – James R. Gilmore for James T. White & Co., publishers, N.Y. wrote to Sam asking for “fuller details” on Sam’s life in preparing a “National Clyclopedia of American Biography” [MTP].

October 8 Wednesday – From Bryn Mawr, Penn., Sam telegraphed John Russell Young in New York that he would be at the Astor House dinner for Judge Robert A. Prior: “I shall be there & hungry” [MTP].

John Brusnahan of the N.Y. Herald wrote from Brooklyn to Sam: “Yours from Washington received in due time. Presuming that you may have arrived home before this I address you at Hartford.” He’d made a bet with his boss, Mr. Howland, who said that the Paige wouldn’t be ready for another year, though he thought it was probably the best one [MTP].

October 9 Thursday – Sam and Livy left Susy at Bryn Mawr and traveled to New York. (They may have left the day before, Oct. 8, after receiving Young’s invitation, as Sam did not like to travel on the same day he was to give a speech.) In the evening, Sam gave this short humorous dinner speech at the Roger A. Pryor Dinner, Astor House:

October 10 Friday – A.B. de Frece for Stanley Reception wrote to Sam asking him to respond to being chosen for the committee [MTP].

Daniel Whitford wrote to Sam that he’d answered Mrs. Lamprecht’s letter to the effect that “it would be idle of her to see you as your contract with Mr. Frohman precludes…dealing with any other party” [MTP]. Note: Mrs. Lamprecht was the child actor Tommy Russell’s mother. Russell was starring in the Edward House version of P&P in Brooklyn. See Oct. 2 article.

October 11 Saturday – In Hartford Franklin G. Whitmore wrote for Sam to Albert S. Towle, whose letter had been enclosed in Hall’s Oct. 7 letter. Permission was granted for Towle to use three sketches in a work being prepared [MTP].

Daniel Frohman applied to the courts for protection in performing his own version (Abby Sage Richardson’s) of P&P as long as he paid Edward H. House a royalty [Brooklyn Eagle, Oct. 12, 1890 p.3].

October 12 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to his sister, Pamela Moffett:

I am very much obliged for the copy of McEwan’s staving good & just eulogy of Sam [Moffett]. I shall mail it to Susy. The last time I saw her was a week ago on the platform at Bryn Mawr. Our train was moving slowly away, & she was drifting collegeward afoot, her figure blurred & dim in the rain & fog, & she was crying [MTP].

October 13 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Mary Mason Fairbanks, who evidently had written asking about the family (her letter not extant).

Susy is a freshman at Bryn Mawr, poor child; we left her there a week ago, & it’s about the longest week the almanac was ever furnished to this fambly. Livy’s health is rather shabby….Clara decides to stay out of college & devote herself to music….We haven’t forecast Jean’s future yet, but think she is going to be a horse jockey & live in the stable.

October 14 Tuesday – C.M. Dally wrote on Hartley & Graham, Arms & Ammunition, N.Y. letterhead to ask Sam for a copy of his letter to the Queen. Sam wrote “Brer Refer him to Harper’s Magazine” [MTP].

Denning & Co. N.Y. dealer returned Sam’s check for $1.40 for a bill paid twice [MTP].

James B. Pond wrote to his dear “Mark,” enclosing a schedule for Stanley’s lecture tour of the US.

October 15 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall about book matters — he’d go along with Hall on a proposed book by Charles Warren Stoddard; he didn’t think much of a book by Edison because he knew Edison wouldn’t have the time to write it and it would only be marginally profitable, perhaps; He planned to send George Lathrop to ask Edison if he might dictate a book using the phonograph. Sam also had Edwin Booth in mind for a book — he’d spent time with him after the Pryor dinner on Oct. 9 and felt a talk with him might be profitable [MTP].

October 16 Thursday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Daniel Whitford, his N.Y. attorney with Alexander & Green, about the continuing saga of the P&P dramatizations in the courts.

Frohman acknowledges that Mrs. Richardson has rights by continuing to pay a portion of her royalties to her. Is that not a confession that I have rights also? Am I to be insulted in this brutal way by this son of a bitch & have no recourse? [MTP]. Note: Amid all the injunctions and legal battles, Sam did not receive royalties on the plays.

October 17 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to James B. Pond, who’d asked about the P&P play controversy:

There are two Prince & Pauper plays — one in the hands of a pirate [House], the other in the hands of a person who is the same thing without the name [Frohman]. God be thanked I have no influence with either [MTP].

Henry Ware Alley wrote urging Sam to send his views on the Single Tax to The Standard [MTP].

October 18 Saturday – William J. Bok for The Bok Syndicate Press, N.Y. wrote to Sam:

“May I not be favored with your literary plans for the balance of the Autumn and the coming Winter? ….Allow me to enclose one of our recent literary letters” [MTP].

George E. Chase wrote from Philadelphia to ask Sam if he would consider the Single Tax [MTP].

J. Hagerty for Hagerty & Sons, Burlington, Iowa wrote asking Sam to use the Single Tax as the basis for a book [MTP].

October 19 Sunday – W.J. Bolton wrote from Poughkepsie, N.Y. (sp?) asking Sam to use the Single Tax as the basis for a book [MTP].

William O. Foley for Ewing & Co. wrote from Greensburg, Ind. asking Sam to use the Single Tax as the basis for a book [MTP].

Edward Herrmann wrote from St.Paul, Minn. asking Sam to use the Single Tax as the basis for a book [MTP].

C.V. Harbottle wrote from Phila asking Sam to use the Single Tax as the basis for a book [MTP].

October 20 Monday – Susy Clemens wrote about life at college:

I am glad of course that I am in Bryn Mawr as I was working all last year to get in and now that I am here there is a great deal that I enjoy most thoroughly. The work is delightful and the people are lovely and altogether Bryn Mawr is an ideal place, but oh! it does not, can not compare with home! [Salsbury 283].

B.C. Stickney wrote from Brooklyn asking Sam to “Please set me down for one copy of your book on the land question, if you should write one” [MTP].

October 21 Tuesday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam:

Our poor dear mother is losing ground. She has almost quit eating and hs long alternations of sleeping and restlessness…weakness increases. We are trying a few drops of King’s cure for consumption for her cough. [Orion included a few pages of history for Sam’s game] [MTP].

James A. Ford wrote from Sioux City, Iowa asking Sam to use the Single Tax as the basis for a book [MTP].

A.P. Freund wrote from Chicago asking Sam to use the Single Tax (land question) as the basis for a book [MTP].