Slinking in San Francisco: Day By Day

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Misery loves company.

February 26 Sunday – Sam arrived back in San Francisco. Sam did a few pieces for the Californian and as the San Francisco correspondent for the Territorial Enterprise. In Roughing It, Sam claimed he arrived back in town without a cent. Sam earned $100 a month with daily correspondence
to Enterprise [MTL 1: 321]. From Sam’s notebook:

March 18 Saturday – Sam’s article, “An Unbiased Criticism,” ran in the Californian:

May 6 Saturday – Sam’s article, “Important Correspondence,” ran in the Californian [ET&S 2: 144].

May 13 Saturday – Sam’s article, “Further of Mr. Mark Twain’s Important Correspondence,” was printed in the Californian [ET&S 2: 157]. More Sam hi-jinx – pretense to obtain a preacher for Grace Cathedral and fictitious letters from a swarm of candidates.

May 24 Wednesday – An article appeared in the Carson Daily Appeal under “San Francisco Correspondence,” by William Brief, which noted that Sam had been seen arm-in-arm with Peter Anderson, Negro journalist for the Elevator, who was shunned by white journalists [Branch, C of Call 303n47]. Note: such things made news then.

May 27 Saturday – Sam’s article, “How I Went to the Great Race Between Lodi and Norfolk,” was printed in the Californian, an account of the trouble Sam met trying to find transportation to an ocean race course for the great race. Also printed was his, “A Voice for Setchell,” a review of a stage comedian who Sam greatly admired. Sam thought of Daniel E. Setchell (1831-1866) in the same exalted appreciation as Artemus Ward, and closely studied each man’s stage technique [ET&S 2: 163,169]. “… every time Mr.

June 3 Saturday – The Californian announced that all letters to its new department, “Answers to Correspondents,” should be sent to Mr. Mark Twain. “Courting Etiquette, Distressed Lovers, of either sex, and Struggling Young Authors, as yet ‘unbeknown’ to Fame, will receive especial attention” [ET&S 1: 174]. The first of six weekly columns by Sam followed offering a burlesque of advice to readers on various topics. Subtitles: Discarded Lover; Arabella; Persecuted Unfortunate; and Arthur Augustus [ET&S 2: 174].

June 10 Saturday – The second of Sam’s columns for the California, “Answers to Correspondents,” ran with subtitles: Amateur Serenader; St. Clair Higgins, Los Angeles; Arithmeticus, Virginia, Nevada; Ambitious Learner, Oakland; Julia Maria; Nom de Plume; Melton Mowbray, Dutch Flat; Laura Matilda; Professional Beggar [ET&S 2: 181].

June 17 Saturday – The third of Sam’s columns for the Californian, “Answers to Correspondents,” ran with subtitles: Moral Statistician; Simon Wheeler, Sonora; Inquirer; Anna Maria; Charming Simplicity; Literary Connoisseur; Etiquetticus, and Monitor Silver Mines [ET&S 2: 187].

June 20 Tuesday – Edgar Branch gives this as the date Sam began corresponding with Joseph T. Goodman’s Enterprise [“My Voice” 591].

June 23 Friday – Sam’s brief article, “Enthusiastic Eloquence,” appeared in the San Francisco Dramatic Chronicle [ET&S 2: 233].

June 24 Saturday – The fourth of Sam’s columns for the Californian, “Answers to Correspondents,” ran with subtitles: True Son of the Union; Socrates Murphy; Arithmeticus; Virginia, Nevada; Young Mother; Blue-Stocking; San Francisco; and Agnes St. Clair Smith [ET&S 2: 197]. Sam’s article, “Advice for Good Little Girls,” first appeared this date in the California Youths’ Companion [Budd, “Collected” 1004]. It was revised and reprinted in 1872 and 1874 [ET&S 2: 243].

June 27–30 Friday – Sam’s article, “Just ‘One More Unfortunate’,” was printed during this period in the Enterprise, copies of which are lost. The Downieville, California Mountain Messenger, copied it July 1.
JUST “ONE MORE UNFORTUNATE”

Summer, mid – Sam claimed to be out of debt by the end of five months [RI, Ch 62]. He also published articles in the Golden Era, brief items in the San Francisco Dramatic Chronicle and the San Francisco Youths’ Companion.

July 1 Saturday – The fifth of Sam’s columns for the Californian, “Answers to Correspondents,” ran with subtitles: Young Actor; Mary, Rincon School; Anxiety, S. F.; Mark Twain; Gold Hill News [ET&S 2: 208].

July 2 Sunday – A series of eight articles published in the Golden Era under the name “S. Browne Jones” are attributed to Sam [Fatout, MT Speaks 19]. The first article was published this day and is typical “Washoe humor,” entitled “A New Contributor.” The other seven articles were published in the Era through Aug. 27 [Fatout, MT Speaks 19].

July 7–19 Wednesday – Sam’s article describing blacks in a 4 th of July parade appeared within these dates in the Enterprise, and was reprinted in the Golden Era for July 23.

MARK TWAIN ON THE COLORED MAN

July 8 Saturday – The sixth and final of Sam’s columns for the Californian, “Answers to Correspondents,” ran with subtitles: Inquirer, Sacramento; Student of Etiquette; Mary, Rincon School; S. Browne—was printed in the Californian [ET&S 2: 219].

July 9 Sunday – S. Browne Jones’ second article in the Era was titled, “An Astounding Fraud Practiced Upon Us,” is attributed to Sam [Fatout, MT Speaks 19].

July 14 Friday – Sam wrote a letter of introduction from San Francisco to Dan De Quille for Dan Setchell, comedian and actor who, along with Artemus Ward, Sam credited with perfecting the technique of telling a story “gravely.” Setchell was lost and presumed dead on a trip to New Zealand [MTL 5: 679&n1].

July 16 Sunday – S. Browne Jones’ third article in the Era, titled, “FULL REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS UPON THE EXAMINATION OF MARK TWAIN ON THE CHARGE OF FRAUD, IN THE POLICE COURT. THE DEFENDANT FOUND GUILTY AND SENTENCED TO FORTY-EIGHT HOURS IN THE CITY PRISON,” continued the fun in the Golden Era [Fatout, MT Speaks 19].

July 23 Sunday – S. Browne Jones’ fourth article appeared in the Era [Fatout, MT Speaks 19].

July 30 Sunday – S. Browne Jones’ fifth article appeared in the Era [Fatout, MT Speaks 19].

August 4 Friday – Pamela Moffett’s husband, Sam’s brother-in-law, William Anderson Moffett, died. Widowed just short of 38 years of age, Pamela never remarried. Daughter Annie was thirteen, son Sammy, not quite five [MTL 1: 382].