Elmira, Hartford and England: Day By Day

May 8 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles E. Perkins. The language in part of the letter suggests that Sam was working on “Captain Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven,” probably inspired by his recent letters with Ned Wakeman. Sam began the story in 1868 and worked on it intermittently until its publication in Harper’s and in book form in 1907.

May 9 Thursday – Sam wrote from Cleveland to his baby daughter Susy.

May 9 Saturday – Sam was issued Copyright No. 6347E on the contents of No. One sketches. Reginald T. Sperry of Hartford had designed the cover [MTL 6: 137n1].

November 1 Wednesday – Sam lectured in Music Hall, Boston, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.” Sam wrote from Boston to Livy:

November 1 Friday – Bill paid to The Farmington Creamery Co. for deliveries made Oct. 4,11,18,25, and Nov. 1 $12.50 [MTP].

November 10 and 17 Monday – Sam wrote aboard the SS City of Chester en route to Livy—“3 days out from N.Y.” After a long description of how wonderfully the ship was appointed, Sam referred to Livy’s pregnancy (she was two months along) and expressed some guilt that he had left her “at a time when you cannot exert yourself without peril.” Sam promised to telegraph as soon as he reached Queenstown and look for an answer in Liverpool or London.

November 10 Friday – Sam lectured in Stetson Hall, Randolph, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.” Sam had a “delightful & jolly little audience.” He spent the night in Randolph.

November 10 Sunday – At midnight on Nov. 9, after the Lord Mayor’s Dinner, Sam wrote Livy:

November 11 Saturday – Sam woke at 6 AM and traveled to Boston, where he had breakfast and then wrote Livy at 11 AM. Feeling “rusty & stupid,” Sam wrote:

“You see those country hotels always ring a gong at 6 & another at half-past, & between the two they would snake out Lazarus himself, let alone me, who am a light sleeper when nervous” [MTL 4: 488].

November 11 Monday – Sam left London bound for Liverpool and home to Hartford [MTL 5: 214n2].

November 12 Sunday – Sam wrote from Boston to Elisha Bliss. He’d enjoyed a good many dinners with Howells, Aldrich and Keeler. Sam directed copies of Innocents be sent to the three men, in care of J.R. Osgood & Co., Boston [MTL 4: 489].

November 12 Tuesday – Sam sailed from Liverpool on the steamship Batavia of the Cunard Line, bound for Boston and New York [MTL 5: 214n2]. Note: see July 3, 1907 from C.F. Wood to Clemens. Also Nov. 26, 1872.

November 13 Monday – Sam lectured in Mechanic’s Hall, Boston, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.”

November 14 Tuesday – Sam lectured in Smyth’s Hall, Manchester, N.H.  – “Artemus Ward.”

November 14 Friday – Sam wrote aboard the SS City of Chester en route to Livy—“7 day out.” Sam wrote of a half-gale and some rolling of the ship, an injury or two to passengers, a leaky dead-light in his cabin and of repairs to his clothing. “I have read all night during this [rough] weather—sleep would only tire me.”

November 15 Wednesday – Sam lectured in City Hall, Haverhill, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.” Sam wrote from Haverhill after the lecture to Livy.

November 15 Friday – Thomas Nast wrote from Morristown, NJ to Sam. “I shall be glad to see my young ‘adorer’, but I am not to be found in New York usually, I only go in once a week, to see to things, and do all my work at home….Poor deluded boy! He needs but to behold, to be completely cured of his infatuation” [MTP]. Note: The boy referred to was Charley Fairbanks who idolized Nast.

November 15 Saturday – Harper’s Weekly ran an engraving, 11×15 entitled, “THE LYCEUM COMMITTEEMAN’S DREAM—SOME POPULAR LECTURERS IN CHARACTER,” which featured nineteen lecturers, including Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain in a jester’s outfit [eBay Oct. 6, 2009 by nls, Item 360061792731]. See insert.

November 16 Thursday – Sam lectured in City Hall, Portland, Maine – “Artemus Ward.” Sam wrote from Portland to Moses S. Beach, declining an invitation Beach had sent to Livy for the family to stay with the Beaches [MTL 4: 493-4]. Note: It was Mrs. Beach who had disapproved of Sam as a suitor for their daughter Emeline in 1868.

November 17 to 18 Monday – From Sam’s letter of Nov. 20 en route to Boston from Liverpool, to the Royal Humane Society:

November 17 Friday – At 1 AM in Portland, Maine, Sam wrote a short note to Livy. Sam thought the Portland lecture enjoyable, and the Portland Eastern Argus agreed [MTP].

In the evening Sam lectured in Huntington Hall, Lowell, Mass. – “Artemus Ward.” [MTPO].

November 17 Monday – The City of Chester arrived at Queenstown, Ireland at 6 PM. Sam telegraphed Livy [MTL 5: 476].

November 18 Saturday – With another open weekend, Sam arrived in Hartford in the afternoon or evening and spent the rest of the weekend at home [MTL 4: 493n8].

November 18 Monday – Bill paid to A. Schmidt & Co., 842 Broadway, New York, $55.50 portfolio, box, easels, vase, paper cutter, tray [MTP].

November 18 Tuesday – Sam arrived in Liverpool. Either Sam got a hotel room that night or took a train to London [MTL 5: 476; Powers, MT A Life 339].