Mark Twain - Reporter: Day By Day

July 31 Sunday – The following ten local articles in the Call are attributed to Sam:
“The Camanche,” “Disgusted and Gone,” “Burglary,” “Custom House Resignations,” “Dr. Bellows Safe,” “Go to the Sea-Side,” “Another Lazarus,” “County Jail Addition,” “One Day for Reflection,” and “Police Court” [Branch, C of Call 292].

July 4 Monday – Sam’s “Original Novelette,” an imitation of John Phoenix in a form popularized by Bret Harte and Charles Webb, was published in the Call [Wilson 195; ET&S 2: 31].
The following three local articles in the Call are attributed to Sam:
“A Sheep-Stealer Caught,” “Original Novelette,” and “An ‘Altagraph’,” [Branch, C of Call 290].
Dan De Quille paid $40 to Daggett & Myers toward rent owed with Sam [Mack 246].

July 4 Wednesday – Sam danced half the night at a Fourth of July ball. He went to a “great luau” at Waikiki thrown by David Kalakaua, who was to be the next and last Hawaiian king. The luau was to honor Anson Burlingame and General Van Valkenburg, who would sail in a few days for their respective diplomatic posts [Sanborn 292].

July 5 Sunday – Sam’s first in a series of “Mark Twain’s Letters” was dated this day. See July 9 entry for publication [ET&S 1: 254-258].

July 6 Wednesday – The following four local articles in the Call are attributed to Sam: “Shirt Stealing,” “Fourth of July,” “The Racing Stock in the Procession,” and “Banner Presentation” [Branch, C of Call 290].

July 7 Thursday – “Homicide—Coroner’s Inquest,” in the Call is attributed to Sam [Branch, C of Call 290].

July 7 Saturday – Sam’s article, “A Strange Dream,” was printed in the Californian [Schmidt].

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 Wednesday – Sam spoke at the dedication of the new Collins House hotel, a great success. Sam had made an equally pleasing speech back in 1856 for the Keokuk printers [MTL 1: 263].

July 8 Friday – The following five local articles in the Call are attributed to Sam: “Swill Music,” “Arrested for Bigamy,” “Insane,” “En Route,” and “The Bigamist” [Branch, C of Call 290].

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 Thursday – The Evening Bulletin reported on Sam’s speech dedicating Virginia City’s newest hotel, the Collins House:
Perhaps the speech of the evening was made by Sam. Clemens. Those not familiar with this young man, do not know the depths of grave tenderness in his nature. He almost brought the house to tears by his touching simple pathos [MTL 1: 263].

July 9 Saturday – The following six local articles in the Call are attributed to Sam: “Buglary—The Burglar Caught in the Act,” “Break in the Water Works,” “Opium Smugglers,” “Young Offender,” “United States Circuit Court,” and “The Bigamist” [Branch, C of Call 290].

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].

June–July – “Bullion,” and “Decidedly Rich,” items attributed to Sam, ran in the Enterprise [Schmidt].

June–July – In a few weeks Sam and Steve would move from the more expensive Occidental to cheaper rooms, but they continued to take meals at the Occidental, where the food was great and the company stimulating. There Sam met and enjoyed Martha Hunter Hitchcock, wife of Dr. Charles McPhail Hitchcock (1813?-1885), medical director for the Army of the Pacific. Martha was a regular contributor to the Alta California and active in local literary circles. She introduced Sam to her literary circle, which included: Ina Coolbrith (1841-1928), Bret (Francis) Harte (1836-1902), Ambrose G.

June 1 Monday – Sam was still in San Francisco, but now stayed at the Lick House at Montgomery and Sutter. The Lick House was more opulent than their first stay at the Occidental Hotel at Bush and Montgomery ($2.50 per day) [MTL 1: 256n1, MT Encyclopedia, Zall 651]. Sam wrote his mother, and sister Pamela, enclosing another $20 greenback.

June 1 Friday – Frear writes of this day’s events:

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 11 Saturday – A local item in the Call, “Another Chapter in the Marks Family History” is attributed to Sam [Branch, C of Call 289].

June 12 Sunday – Sam gave a presentation speech at Maguire’s Opera House in San Francisco to Major Edward C. Perry, who had raised the Aquila, sunk at a city pier [Fatout, MT Speaking 1-3]. A local item in the Call, “Beasts in the Semblance of Men” is attributed to Sam [Branch, C of Call 289].

June 13 Monday – Sam’s piece, titled “Parting Presentation,” about the presentation of a cane to Major Edward C. Perry, ran on the front page of the Alta California. This was Sam’s first signed publication following his move from Nevada [ET&S 2: 5]. Emerson observes the speech “was intended to be amusing; ‘Mark Twain’ was clearly a humorist” [24].

June 15 Wednesday – A local item in the Call, “Petty Police Court Transactions” is attributed to Sam [Branch, C of Call 289].

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 17–23 Thursday – The article “‘Mark Twain’ in the Metropolis” was probably first printed sometime between these dates in the Territorial Enterprise, copies of which were lost [ET&S 2: 9]. (See June 26 entry)

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