Day by Day entries are from Mark Twain, Day By Day, four volumes of books compiled by David Fears and made available on-line by the Center for Mark Twain Studies.  The entries presented here are from conversions of the PDFs provided by the Center for Mark Twain Studies and are subject to the vagaries of that process.    The PDFs, themselves, have problems with formatting and some difficulties with indexing for searching.  These are the inevitable problems resulting from converting a printed book into PDFs.  Consequently, what is provided here are copies of copies.  

I have made attempts at providing a time-line for Twain's Geography and have been dissatisfied with the results.  Fears' work provides a comprehensive solution to that problem.  Each entry from the books is titled with the full date of the entry, solving a major problem I have with the On-line site - what year is the entry for.  The entries are certainly not perfect reproductions from Fears' books, however.  Converting PDFs to text frequently results in characters, and sometimes entire sections of text,  relocating.  In the later case I have tried to amend the problem where it occurs but more often than not the relocated characters are simply omitted.  Also, I cannot vouch for the paragraph structure.  Correcting these problems would require access to the printed copies of Fears' books.  Alas, but this is beyond my reach.

This page allows the reader to search for entries based on a range of dates.  The entries are also accessible from each of the primary sections (Epochs, Episodes and Chapters) of Twain's Geography.  

Entry Date (field_entry_date)

May 18, 1908 Monday

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May 18 Monday – Dorothy Quick ended her weekend visit and left for home in the late afternoon [May 19 to Allen].

Howells & Stokes wrote to advise Sam the cost of bookcases on drawing #45 would be $267

Elizabeth Jordan wrote to Lyon (though catalogued to Clemens). She was delighted he would come if in town [MTP].

Robert Mountsier for Univ. of Michigan Students Lecture Assoc. wrote to invite Sam to lecture sometime during the coming year [MTP].

May 19, 1908 Tuesday

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May 19 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Helen S. Allen in Hamilton, Bermuda.

I am so sorry, you dear child! You must be pretty desolate, now, with so many of your pets gone. I hope the disaster will not spoil the fancy dress dance for you.

May 20, 1908 Wednesday

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May 20 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Jean, now under the care of Dr. Harlands and Dr. Peterson, in a house taken for the summer at Eastern Point, Gloucester, Mass. Two hired nurses, Edith and Mildred Cowles, and friend Marguerite Schmidt, looked after her there.  Insert: Eastern Point Lighthouse, erected and first lit, 1832.

May 23, 1908 Saturday

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May 23 Saturday – Harper & Brothers wrote to Sam, advising him not to satisfy the request of Rossiter Johnson, who wanted “permission to include in his forthcoming set of books the synopsis of 2 or 3 of” Sam’s books, and to stick to “that policy which you have followed so consistently in refusing permission for your works & name to be associated with other publications…” [MTP].

Robert W. Breckons wrote on U.S. Attorney’s Office, Honolulu, to ask Sam to put his autograph on enclosed postcard for Breckons’ eight year old daughter [MTP].

May 24, 1908 Sunday

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May 24 Sunday – Clara Clemens’ cabled from England that she had arrived safely. The cable arrived in the morning at 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. [May 24 to Sturgis] Sam then sent a telegram to daughter Jean, c/o Dr. Harlands: “Clara has arrived safely. Much love to you. Father” [MTP]. Note: Clara Clemens had arrived in England for her singing tour of Paris and London.  

Sam also replied to the May 21 from Dorothy Sturgis:

Dear Dorothy—

May 26, 1908 Tuesday

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May 26 Tuesday – Sam went to Deal Beach, N.J. to spend a week with Col. George Brinton Harvey. During this stay he spent time with Harvey’s daughter Dorothy Harvey (1894-1937), who he added as an Angelfish in his club [June 2 to Allen]. Note: Dorothy was the only child of George and Alma Parker Harvey.

May 27, 1908 Wednesday

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May 27 Wednesday – Sam was the guest of Col. George Brinton Harvey in Deal, N.J. [June 2 to Allen].

Howells & Stokes wrote to Isabel Lyon (though catalogued to Clemens) about newspapers inquiring for photos of the new Redding house [MTP].

Phillip F. Cunliffe Owen wrote from Staten Island, NY to thank Sam for his appearance at the British dinner at Delmonico’s, and especially for his eulogy of Queen Victoria. Owen added he’d written to Whitelaw Reid about Clara Clemens’ presence in England [MTP].

May 30, 1908 Saturday

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May 30 Saturday – Sam was the guest of Col. George Brinton Harvey in Deal, N.J. [June 2 to Allen].

Sarah A. Blanchard wrote to ask Sam if he would lecture before the Dorchester, Mass.

Women’s Club next season [MTP]. Note: IVL: “Answd June 2, ’08; Sincere thanks for compliment of invitation”

Dorothy Quick wrote to Sam.

My Dear Mr Clemens

May 31, 1908 Sunday

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May 31 Sunday – Sam was the guest of Col. George Brinton Harvey in Deal, N.J. [June 2 toAllen].

Louise Paine wrote to Sam.

Your lovely picure came out safely and is very popular. Every one who sees it says that it is such a beautiful picture, and that you are such a handsome man. You really should be hiding somewhere to hear the nice things that are said about you.

Summer 1908

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Summer – Sometime during the summer of 1908, Clemens drafted his Constitution for the Angelfish. It follows:

THE AQUARIUM

Issued By THE ADMIRAL

INNOCENCE AT HOME REDDING, CONN. SUMMER-TIME 1908

Qualifications for Membership

Sincerity, good disposition, intelligence, & school-girl age.

Secrets of the Order

Members of the Aquarium are forbidden to divulge its affairs to any but their parents & guardians.

June 1, 1908 Monday

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June 1 Monday –  Sam was the guest of Col. George Brinton Harvey in Deal, N.J. [June 2 to Allen; June 2 to Sturgis].

Henry Hersch Hart wrote from San Francisco, Calif. to ask for Clemens’ autograph on a note [MTP]. Note: IVL: “Answd June 9, ’08 / Would be so glad to but demands are great”

Lucia Hull wrote from Newport, R.I. to thank Sam for his “awfully sweet letter.” She vowed to keep the letter and someday when her grandchildren were in financial straits she would sell it for a fortune [MTP].

June 2, 1908 Tuesday

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June 2 Tuesday – Sam left the Harvey residence in Deal, N.J. and returned home to New York at noon. Before leaving, he settled on the name “Innocence at Home” for the new home in Redding [June 3 to Clara].

At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Dorothy Sturgis.

I am just back this moment, & find yours of May 27. I have been down in Jersey eight days, visiting around among my angel-fishes of that region, & have had a very good time indeed.

June 3, 1908 Wednesday

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June 3 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Clara.

Well, Clärchen dear, I have your dear letter from ship board saying what fine shape you are in: also there are cablegrams whereby we know you sang twice last Saturday; & now I am waiting for particulars by mail. It seems a good while to wait, too.

June 5, 1908 Friday

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June 5 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Jean, at Eastern Point in Gloucester, Mass.  

Dear Jean, consound the well-intending dog! And certainly he had good intentions, & a heroic spirit. The great big majority of our race are away below him in this regard, & not worthy to untie his shoe-latchets.

Miss Lyon is slaving away at the new house, getting it ready. She will make an admirable job of it if she survives.

June 6, 1908 Saturday

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June 6 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frances Nunnally.

You are a very dear & sweet Francesca to answer so promptly, & you so heavy-laden with work, you poor little chap! But soon you’ll be at sea, & that will be fine & restful. I wish I could go with you.

June 9, 1908 Tuesday

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June 9 Tuesday – Malcolm D. Graham wrote from Hamilton, Bermuda to Sam. “I am indeed glad to have traded the owner of the shell, and am returning it to you by the mail under registered cover & trust it will duly reach you.” He also discussed Bermuda’s weather [MTP]. Note: the “identification” shell was from Helen Blackmer; See May 25 to Graham.