Day By Day Dates

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].

November 8 Sunday – Sam’s first letter from Europe, “The Tramp Abroad Again: I. Paradise of the Rheumatics,” or “Mark Twain at Aix-les-Bains” ran in McClure’s syndicated newspapers, including the N.Y. Sun, Chicago Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Boston Globe, and others. The piece was reprinted as “The Paradise of the Rheumatics” in Europe and Elsewhere in 1923 [Camfield citing Budd’s Europe and Elsewhere; Rasmussen 336; Budd, Collected 2: 1000].

November 9 Monday – In Berlin Sam wrote to Poultney Bigelow (1855-1954), American journalist and author; one of the guests of the “grand official dinner” by William Walter Phelps on Oct. 31.

Thank you for your kindness. When I read your note at breakfast, one of the children said: “At this rate, papa, there presently won’t be any body left for you to get acquainted with but the Deity.”

November 10 Tuesday – Mrs. Clara E. Rice wrote from Neligh, Nebr. Sending Sam “an ode” he might be able to use; if not return. She named a son “Samuel” after him [MTP].

November 13 Friday – “The Paradise of the Rheumatics” was reprinted in The Illustrated London News in two parts, the second of which ran on Nov. 28.

November 14 Saturday – George Peter Alexander Healy, at the National Soldiers’ Home in Va. sent Sam a MS, his “first attempt” asking, “Is it good for anything?” [MTP].

November 15 Sunday – Berlin’s National-Zeitung, Sonntags-Beilage, No. 46 ran an interview of Sam by Max Horwitz, titled “Mark Twain in Berlin.” Budd reports,

“SLC praises Berlin and, unlike hasty visitors to the United States, doubts he will write book about Germany; is relieved to find he is not subject to German taxes and grumbles about having his royalties taxed in England” [“Interviews” 6].

November 16 Monday – Ada F. Thayer wrote from Fulton, N.Y. asking if she might include a cutting from a “laughable sketch” in TA, “where Harris meets the American girl at the Hotel in Lucerne” in her collection of “new recitations” she was compiling [MTP].

November 17 Tuesday – George H. Warner wrote to Sam that he’d met a labor organizer named Hotchkiss who commented on CY, saying, “The labor folks have got onto it and they want a cheap edition. Can’t Clemens be induced to print one they could afford to buy” [MTLTP 295n1]. See Dec. 1 to Hall.

November 18 Wednesday – Joe Twichell wrote that he was mailing today “a copy of the poor little baby book of which I have been guilty,” (probably his history of John Winthrop). He suggested if Sam’s daughters ever misbehaved that a good punishment would be to force them to read his book [MTP].

November 19 Thursday – In Berlin Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall about the proposed 10¢ pamphlet containing the six Europe letters. As far as using the old “Jumping Frog” story, Sam anticipated a possible conflict with American Publishing Co., advising Hall to “use something else” if he also felt a dispute was probable.

But when I come home I’ll use the Jumping Frog & take care of the dispute, for it is quite necessary that I have a controversy with those people some day [MTLTP 292].

November 20 Friday – In Berlin Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall (note — Hall’s letter took two weeks to reach Sam, who noted the fact on his letter). Sam approved Hall’s suggestions about a proposed book of Europe travel and observations.

Yours of Nov. 7 just rec’d.

Dear Mr. Hall:

I think I would call the book — / Recent European Glimpses / — by Mark Twain [MTP].

November 22 Sunday – In Berlin Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus.

That Clemens in the last column of names, was an ancestor of mine, & much thought of by the family because he was the first of us that was hanged.

If Tauchnitz comes to see me on business I shall refer him to you [MTP].

November 23 Monday – In Berlin, Sam dictated a letter to Livy for Franklin G. Whitmore. The letter was finished by Sam on Nov. 28. Sam asked Whitmore to pay a bill when presented for the repair of “the old sofa renovating hair &c,” and to forward wedding invitations and the like. Sam advised Whitmore that many of Whitmore’s “letters must have miscarried,” but still hoped to see them now that their address was settled [MTP].

November 25 Wednesday – James Logan wrote on Logan, Swift & Brigham Envelope Co. stationery to Sam, explaining that Sam had “punished” his “pocket book.” After buying his “Kid” (about 10 years old) an International Dictionary, he promised money for any word not in it. In Sam’s “Mental Telegraphy” article, the “Kid” came to the word “phrenophone” which was not in the dictionary [MTP].

November 26 Thursday – Thanksgiving. In the evening Sam gave a speech for 250 Americans, location not specified.

But when they threw my portrait on a screen it was a sorrowful reminder, for it was from a negative of 15 years ago & hadn’t a gray hair in it [Nov. 27 to Hall]. Note: Likely in Berlin. No mention was made of the subject of Sam’s speech. Not in Fatout.

November 27 Friday – Livy’s 46th birthday.

November 28 Saturday – In Berlin Sam finished his Nov. 23 letter to Franklin G. Whitmore, explaining he’d been “interrupted for a week.” In the meantime his arm was much better. He asked Whitmore to send a photograph of Mark Twain to H.J. McGivern, Secretary of the M.T.R.&G. Club, in care of the Mark Twain Hotel, Wheeling W.Va. If Whitmore had no photographs of Sam, order a half-dozen from Sarony. Sam sent Thanksgiving greetings [MTP].

November 29 Sunday – David W. Young wrote from New London, Mo. reporting his life afer the war and how poor he’s been since; if he could get “5 or 6 acres of land” — would Sam help? [MTP].

November 30 Monday – Sam’s 56th Birthday.

Livy’s Dec. 1 to George H. Warner describes a visit this day by Mr. & Mrs. du Bois-Raymond:

December – “Mental Telegraphy: A Manuscript with a History” ran in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, p.95-104. This piece was written in 1878 and first published here. McCullough traces the evolution of this article, as well as “Mental Telegraphy Again,” Harper’s, Sept. 1895 in the Mark Twain Encyclopedia, p.510. Sam had noted many instances of what he felt was mental transmission of thoughts, and had initially included them in TA, but later removed those passages as misfitting a humor book.