Stormfield - Day By Day

November 6 Saturday — Frank L. Dyer for National Phonograph Co., Orange, NJ wrote to Sam.

November 7 Saturday – In Redding, Conn. on this day or Nov. 8 Sam sent another receipt on his library notice to Frederick A. Duneka for $1 [MTP].

Sam’s new guestbook:  

Name Address Date Remarks

Mrs. Lillian Duneka     Also her husband   Of Harper & Brothers  November 7-8

November 7 Sunday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Beatrice M. Benjamin on her wedding day.

Dear Beatrice:

November 8 Sunday – Charles Este wrote to ask Sam if he would “drop a word” to Mrs. Catherine Starbuck a 90 year old friend of his in Nantucket, Mass. He enclosed a note from the lady wondering if Clemens had decided not to finish his Autobiography [MTP]. Note: “Ans. Dec. 11 MLH” [his address on note paper 4111 Baltimore Ave. City is not given; such an address exists in Phila., Kansas City, Mo. & others].

Friedrich Henke wrote from Berlin, another letter in German to Sam [MTP]. Note: Not translated.

November 8 Monday — In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Oct. 29 from Miss Helen Roberts.

Dear Miss Roberts: / I am not sure I understand the question, but it seems to be Am I jesting, or am I in earnest in believing Shakespeare did not write Shakspeare? If that is it, I am in earnest, & not jesting.

November 9 Monday – Arthur J. Burdick for Gateway Gazette wrote from Beaumont, Calif., having heard the rumor that Clemens contemplated living in California. He promoted the city and wrote he was sending “a paper telling something of Beaumont” [MTP]. Note: “Ans. Nov. 17 MLH”

Frederick A. Duneka wrote from NYC to Sam. “It was very beautiful—our visit—just the happiest kind of times….even the cats seem to be dressed up for the occasion and to join in the welcome…. I am looking into the Mark Twain Spring Water scheme” [MTP].

October 1 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to John Henniker Heaton (also seen as Henniker-Heaton).

“Dear Mr Henniker-Heaton: / At midnight to-night the Great benefaction to two nations conferred by your labors reaches consummation, & I send my first 2-cent letter to you, along with my cordial congratulations. / Truly Yours” …  [MTP]. Note: Henniker-Heaton’s long campaign for cheap postage between England and the US resulted in his being called “the father of International Penny Postage.” See July 2, 1907 entry, Sam’s A.D.

October 1 Friday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Helen Schuyler Allen, St. Andrew Hotel, N.Y.C.

My child! Your letter arrives late. I must rush a line to you right away, or you will be gone to New York before this reaches Albany.

I guess I will send this to New York—then it will be sure to reach you. Tell me, dear, when you & your mother can come after the 7th of October. The house will be empty, then, for two or three days right after the 7th. Will you drop me a line & give me your earliest date?

October 10 Saturday – Sam wrote an aphorism to an unidentified person: “We ought never to do wrong when people are looking. / Truly yours / Mark Twain” [MTP: Superior Auction Galleries catalog, Oct. 15, 1991, Item 1832].

In Redding, Conn., Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Laura Hawkins Frazer, his childhood sweetheart.

October 10 Sunday - William Henry Bishop wrote from NYC to Sam after reading of Clara's wedding and noting in the article Sam mentioned a “troublesome pain in the breast” Bishop also suffered from such a pan that the doctors said wasn’t heart problems nor consumption. “Would you send me a word about yours [pain] on the chance that the nature of this trouble may be explained” [MTP].

October 11 Sunday – Cunard line Commodore Daniel Dow ended his weekend stay at Stormfield. Sam returned his coat and cap worn in the insert photo, likely taken this very day (see Oct. 12 to Nunnally).

October 11 Monday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to William Henry Bishop in N.Y.C.

My dear Bishop: / You have located my pain exactly—“the centre of the breast bone”—but the one in the lung is your private property. I lack it. A distinguished allopath referred mine to the heart, & began to empty drugs into me—(& I have a horror of drugs.) At the end of a fortnight it was plain that the drugs only relieved, they didn’t reduce the number of attacks per day; so I stopped drugging.

October 12 Monday – In Redding, Conn. Sam finished his Oct. 10 to Frances Nunnally.

Monday, Oct. 12—noon.

October 12 Tuesday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Helen Schuyler Allen at the Hotel St. Andrew, N.Y.C.

October 13 Tuesday – Sam’s new guestbook:

Name Address Date Remarks

Mrs. Laura Hawkins Frazer Hannibal, Missouri October 15 ——— >  My first sweetheart (65 years ago when she was 6 or 7 years old.)

Her granddaughter Clara    “                  “     “          “

October 13 Wednesday — In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Oct. 12 from William Henry Bishop.

Dear Mr. Bishop: / The Mark Twain Library thanks you cordially, through me, its President, for your welcome contribution and forwards herewith its official receipt.
I offer to you & Mrs. Bishop my best wishes for a safe & pleasant voyage. / Sincerely Yours / ... [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Helen Kerr Blackmer (Mrs. Henry Myron Blackmer) in N.Y.C.

October 14 Wednesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Margaret Blackmer.

October 14 Thursday — On this day or Oct. 15 in Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to daughter Clara at the Hotel Latham, N.Y.C.

“Mrs. Gabrilowitsch / Hotel Latham, 5th ave & 28th st. New York

October 15 Thursday – Sam’s original guestbook contains the following names for this date, which do not appear in the new guestbook, transcribed after Dec. 28: Kate V. Saint Maur, The Maples, Redding; Vida C – – ly Sidney, Siasconset Mass.; Fanny Sanford Shaw, Redbank, N.J. [Mac Donnell TS 5, 7]. Note: p. 6 is left blank.

October 15 Friday — In the evening the Mark Twain Library Association held “The Harvest Home Dance” at the barn of Meeker Jones, The attendance was “large”’ at this costume events, which ended with one of Sam’s old favorites, the “Virginia Reel” dance. The minutes do not disclose Sam’s attendance [MTLA minutes copied at the Library by Tenney Nov. 15, 1981].

John Bigelow wrote to Sam.

October 16 Friday – The New York Times, p. 9, “Says Arnold Daly Will Try Vaudeville,” reported that Percy Williams, vaudeville manager and proprietor of the Orpheum circuit announced that Arnold Daly and company would produce a new one-act farce by Mark Twain entitled “Becoming An Editor,” which would open at the Colonial Theatre in Brooklyn on Oct. 26.

Sam’s new guestbook:

Name Address Date Remarks

October 16 Saturday — In Redding, Conn. Sam inscribed a copy of Eve's Diary to Helen Schuyler Allen: “Helen Schuyler Allen M.A. / with the love of / The Author / Oct. 16/09.”” [MTP: Charles Hamilton catalog, 30 Sept. 1965, No. 9, Item 23].

Sam’s new guestbook: 

October 17 Saturday – Sam’s new guestbook:  

Name Address Date Remarks

Geo. Neilgruen  )

Gustave Kobbé  ) From Harper & Bros, N.Y.  October 17 To discuss my new copyright law

Mr. Phayre )

 Note: Gustav Kobbé (1856-1918) was an author in his own right, with at least two books on opera. At the time of his accidental death from a hydroplane, Kobbe was the music and art critic of the NY Herald. John F. Phayne of Harpers.

October 17 Sunday — The New York Times, p. 1 reported on the condition of Ossip Gabrilowitsch:

TO OPERATE ON GABRILOWITCH

Mark Twain’s Son-in-Law HasAppendicitis—Cancels Sailing.

October 18 Sunday – Sam’s new guestbook:

Name Address Date Remarks

Miss Ethel Newcomb Interior N.Y. (& Vienna) October 18-21