Day By Day Dates

October 9 Friday – In their winter quarters at 7 Körnerstrasse, Berlin, Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus, enclosing a picture of the Wirt fountain pen he’d lost, and asking them to send him another, or to forward his note on to Webster & Co. if they couldn’t find one. Sam claimed he was “helpless” without it [MTP].

October 10 Saturday – The Club, “A Journal of Club Live for Men and Women” wrote that they’d be “pleased to have a signed article for the November issue of “THE CLUB” and sent a copy [MTP].

October 11 Sunday – The Boston Globe ran “MARK TWAIN — A PEN PICTURE,” an interesting sketch and discussion of Sam’s success.

America’s Richest and Most Famous Author at Home and on the Platform.

Wild and peculiar is Mark Twain.

He has a big head stuck on by a long neck to a pair of round shoulders. He goes on to the lecture platform as if he were half asleep, and he looks as if nature, in putting him together, had, somehow, got the joints mixed.

October 12 Monday – In Berlin at 7 Körnerstrasse, Sam wrote to Rudolf Lindau (1829-1910) of the Foreign Office, answering his invitation (not extant), probably to dine. The only evening Sam had free in the week was Wednesday, but he was entirely free the next week [MTP]. Note: Lindau had studied philology and was also a novelist and short story writer. He was also on the staff of the Revue des Deux Mondes for many years.

October 13 Tuesday – The N.Y. Times reported on the 70th birthday of Rudolf Ludwig Karl Virchow (1821-1902). Virchow is considered the founder of modern pathology; he was also an eminent German anthropologist and politician; his reputation later stained by his hostility against both the use of antiseptics and the idea that bacteria caused disease.

October 14 Wednesday

October 15 Thursday – In the evening Sam received a cable from Frederick J. Hall with the good news that the Sherman book difficulties had been resolved [Oct. 16 to Hall]. (See Mar. 10 & 29 entries.)

October 16 Friday – In Berlin at 7 Körnerstrasse, Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus, his English publisher, thanking them for the pen sent, which was too stiff — could they send a more limber one? On Oct. 12 another dramatization of P&P opened, and Sam wished it well:

I hope for Hatton’s sake & his daughter’s & mine — & the public’s — that the play will succeed, & that it will beat the record [MTP]. Note: Joseph Hatton. See Oct. 12.

October 17 Saturday – A review of “Mr. [Joseph] Hatton’s adaptation” of P&P ran in the London Athenaeum No. 3338, p.525. The periodical praised the dramatization as,

…a passable piece of stage carpentry. Three of its four acts are shapely and interesting, some of its dialogue is excellent, and its scenes of comedy have distinct charm. [The scenes of violence in the third act] are out of keeping with the rest of the piece [Tenney, supplement #3, American Literary Realism, Autumn 1979 p.183].

October 19 Monday – Mamie B. Mordecai wrote from Lutherville, MD for Sam’s autograph [MTP].

October 20 Tuesday – In Berlin Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall with questions about the book form of The American Claimant — what was Hall’s plan to publish it? Was he getting the plates ready? Would Chatto have the advance sheets as early as he needed? Sam asked for “all the details” of Hall’s plan as soon as possible — the size, price, and every particular. On the reverse side of the letter Sam outlined a plan for a 50c edition of his six Europe letters, printed in large type for railroad use.

October 22 Thursday – Jane A. LaCopitt wrote from Shreveport, LA asking for Sam to use his influence with President Harrison or John Wannamaker to secure the Postmastership for her son [MTP].

October 24 Saturday – Sam began work on an exhausting three day and night project, translating “the most celebrated child’s book in Europe,” Dr. Heinrich Hoffman’s, Dur Struwwelpeter, or (Slovenly Peter) from German to English [MTLTP 287]. Sam wanted a cheap edition of the book out for the US Christmas market, or an outright sale to McClure. Kaplan writes,

October 25 Sunday – Sam spent a good deal of his time working on the translation of Dur Struwwelpeter, or (Slovenly Peter) [Oct. 27 to Hall].

October 26 Monday – Sam continued work on the translation of Dur Struwwelpeter, or (Slovenly Peter) [Oct. 27 to Hall]. 

October 27 Tuesday – In Berlin at 7 Körnerstrasse, Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall.

October 28 Wednesday – In Berlin at 7 Körnerstrasse, Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall about the proposed translation of Dur Struwwelpeter, or (Slovenly Peter). Sam couldn’t buy plates or sheets of the book there. Publication of the book was attempted in N.Y. years before but abandoned. Sam was concerned about copyright of the German text. A US German-language edition had been published in St. Louis in 1862, which may account for the absence of any further discussion with Hall [MTLTP 289].

October 30 Friday – “Lewis the Light” of Phila. sent a fire & brimstone note with clippings under his pseudonym to Orion & Sam at Keokuk. Sam wrote, “Insane crank” on the envelope [MTP].

October 31 Saturday – The Brooklyn Eagle, Nov.1, 1891 (datelined Oct. 31) p.7, “Social Reform in Berlin,” reported on one of Sam’s engagements:

November – An unsigned article ran in Bookman (London) titled, “To an Old Humorist” with passing references to Mark Twain, who is grouped with Rabelais, Swift, Sterne, Dickens, and Holmes. “If Mark Twain had to be judged by his Connecticut Yankee at the Court of King Arthur, he would have but an indifferent reputation with at least half the English-speaking race” [Tenney 19].

November 1 Sunday – The Boston Daily Globe carried a long feature article, p.23, “SHE WHO IS ‘MRS. TWAIN’,” complete with engravings of the Hartford Clemens house, a portrait of Sam, and two small illustrations from Puck. “Next to His Family, Mark Loves His Pipe.”

November 2 Monday – The Bohemian Club of S.F. sent a printed circular announcing the upcoming issue of the Annals of Bohemia, by the Club historiographer, Mr. Daniel O’Connell. Price $2 [MTP].

November 4 Wednesday – This Boston Daily Globe ad of this date was typical of the hoopla made over Mark Twain’s letters from Europe.

November 5 Thursday – Albert Ellery Berg for The Stage (N.Y.) “Published Every Saturday” wrote asking what Sam would charge for a 1,000 word story for their Christmas issue; if too busy could he provide “a stick or two with signature”? [MTP].

November 7 Saturday – In Berlin at 7 Körnerstrasse, Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall. Sam needed two copies of his 1888 Meisterschafft. He also complimented Hall’s management of Webster & Co.

You make a most excellent showing for a three-years’ up-building of a business which was in ruins. I am most anxious to know the result of Mr. Williams’ trip. Much depends on it [MTLTP 290].