Home at Hartford: Day By Day

May 11 Tuesday – Sam went to New York with the modified Sellers as Scientist manuscript. Sam telegraphed Howells, probably to inform him of the meeting the next day with Burbank and Sam’s attorneys to finalize the agreement for the play (telegram not extant).

May 11 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Charles Webster:

Joe Jefferson has written his Autobiography! You see, by George we’ve got to keep places open for great books; they spring up in the most unexpected places. [¶] I will read for “literary quality,” & then take it down to you on the 18th, to be read for pecuniary quality…[MTP].

May 11 Friday – L.H. Hallock of Portland, Maine wrote a follow up hoping to “receive a word from you touching ‘National Reforms’ for our Congregational Club” [MTP].

May 11 Saturday – In Hartford, Sam read for the Saturday Morning Club, which included “Isaac Muleykeh,” “King Arthur,” “Interviewer,” and “Christening” [Fatout, MT Speaking 659]. The club met at 10:30 a.m. [MTNJ 3: 472]. Budd calls this last item, “The Christening Yarn” [Collected 1: 938].

May 11 Sunday – F.J. Earll for N.Y. Morning Journal wrote to solicit “a few lines” on International Copyright from Sam, who directed Whitmore to decline for him (on the env.) [MTP]. Note: the bill failed in Congress on May 2.

Fox & Whitmore Co., “Practical Decorators and Designers,” Hartford, wrote asking Sam “the probability of your redecorating your library and dining-room ceilings, this summer” [MTP].

May 11 Monday – In Hartford Sam submitted an article to Henry M. Alden, editor of Harper & Brothers in N.Y.

See if this will do to fill a narrow corner in the holiday number. It was told to Rev. Jo. Twichell here, years ago, by the English clergyman who figures in it…. [MTP]. Note: the article in question was likely “Luck,” which Harper’s Monthly published in August.

Sam also wrote to an unidentified man, probably a newspaper or magazine reporter or editor seeking an interview or opinion:

May 12 Wednesday – Sam wrote a short note from Hartford to Orion, who landed an editor position at the Keokuk Gate City newspaper (see May 14 entry). Sam encouraged him in that direction, probably feeling the book would never be publishable, advising him to: “Drop the book & give your entire mind to the newspaper. Concentrate—concentrate. One thing at a time” [MTLE 5: 101].

May 12 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood, thanking him for some service performed (unidentified):

“Old man, you performed gorgeously. You would make a good highwayman. Yes, sir, for the sake of your character (& mine) I will be very mum to those people.”

May 12 Friday – The CBR arrived in St. Louis. John Henton Carter escorted Sam and his party to the Southern Hotel, where they spent the night. Sam shared “a couple of farewell hot scotches with Bixby” [Powers, MT A Life 461]. Carter interviewed Sam about his books, the new suspender he was inventing, complaints about his image as a mere humorist, and his ability as a steamboat pilot.

May 12 Saturday – Life on the Mississippi was published in England by Chatto & Windus [MTHL 1: 433n2]. Prior publication in the Empire was necessary to secure copyright there.

May 12 Monday – Sam wrote a short note from Hartford to Charles Webster. “Parsloe and Aldrich are not in Europe, they are playing in the West. I’m beginning to look for you here, now” [MTBus 254].

May 12 Wednesday – In New York at the offices of Webster & Co. A meeting was held reaching an agreement with Alfred P. Burbank. In attendance was a representative from Alexander & Green, attorneys; and Charles Webster, Frederick J. Hall (now a member of the firm), and Frank M.

May 12 Thursday – William L. Alden from the U.S. Consulate in Rome, wrote to Sam offering an autobiography of Garibaldi “of 89 chapters, and 693 pages of MS” [MTLTP 218n1 (top)].

Check #  Payee  Amount  [Notes]

3691  Mssrs Wm Wander & Son  9.00  Pianos & Tuning

May 12 Saturday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam:

“I have made the corrections in the letter to General Howard, and it will go forward to-day” [MTHL 2: 246n6]. Hall also informed: “The ‘Library of American Literature,’ ten volumes, is going well…. I think this book is going to pan out big eventually, as the results attained so far have come without any particular pushing” [MTNJ 3: 361]. Note: The sales of this work were always disappointing, not offsetting the costs.

May 12 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Horatio C. King wishing he “could be there when you celebrate in Orange, but unfortunately I shall be far away at that time.” King had invited Sam to a New Jersey event for the Society of the Army of the Potomac [MTP].

May 12 Monday – In Hartford on or just after this day Sam answered through Franklin G. Whitmore, the May 11 invitation of F.J. Earll [MTP]. Also about this day Sam used Whitmore to answer Charles W. Felt’s May 10 inquiry: “Brer, tell him it is out of my line, & refer him to Paige” [MTP]

If Sam did make a quick trip to Washington on May 8, he would have returned home by this day.

May 12 Tuesday – Cyrus Curtis, publisher of Ladies Home Journal, increased the offer for the serialization of The American Claimant from $4,000 to $6,000. Sam accepted (on May 13) but problems would develop in coordinating the English and American installments [MTNJ 3: 625n192].

Henry M. Alden for Harper & Brothers wrote to Sam a note enclosing a $100 check for the piece “Luck,” which Alden wrote would make two pages in the magazine [MTP].

May 13 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Thomas H. Murray, responding to his May 8 letter. Murray had written about Sam courting Laura Wright. Sam did not mention Laura Wright. He told a story about being approached by an old man in Germany, who claimed he’d once saved Sam and Thomas’ lives on a runaway stage over a precipice. The geezer hit Sam up for ten dollars, which he paid, probably amused.

May 13 Friday – Charles Webster wrote to Sam. “At last Slote is thoroughly convinced that Sneider has been swindling you.” He detailed how Sneider had done the deed, and said “Dan is furious,” that he “could not uphold any one in cheating Sam & he had hard work to restrain himself &c.” Webster also touched on several other business matters [MTP].

May 13 Saturday – The St. Louis Globe-Democrat ran an interview with Sam on page 8, “Mark Twain’s Travels / A Round Trip on the Mississippi in Search of Book Material.” Sam recalled his “Babies” speech and discussed his planned river book [Budd, “Interviews” 2].

The St. Louis Missouri Republican ran a descriptive article about Sam on page 5 titled, “Mark Twain / The Famous Humorist Pays a Flying Visit to St. Louis”; Sam refused to be interviewed [Budd, “Interviews” 2].

May 13 Sunday – In an unknown place (probably Ottawa or Montreal) Sam inscribed LM to an unidentified person [MTP].

John Irwin wrote a begging letter from Berkshire, Ohio as he couldn’t afford Sam’s latest book [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “No Answer”; Sam rarely complied with such requests, unless he knew the person.

May 13 Tuesday – Mary Keily finished her Jan. 23 letter [MTP].

May 13 Wednesday – Sam notified Edward M. Bunce, Henry C. Robinson, and other Friday night billiard players that he was moving up their gathering to the next day, Thursday, May 14, in order to attend a lecture by Chauncey M. Depew (1834-1928) at the Opera House in Hartford on Friday [MTP]. Depew was a Yale-educated lawyer and businessman who later served as a U.S.

May 13 Thursday – Back in Hartford in a rare show of ill-will to Howells, Sam vented, beginning a letter which he added to on May 15 and 17:

No, no, sir — I’m not going to let you shoulder a solitary ounce of the “folly” onto me! Observe:

L..       It was I who had written Webster that no terms in the world would induce me, etc., etc; it was you who said “Why not let Burbank have it?”

May 13 Friday – In Auburndale, Mass. at Lee’s Hotel, Howells answered Sam’s May 9 letter.

I will write the introduction, and perhaps the Harpers will let me sign it. But I should prefer to do it after I’d seen some proof of the book, for that thing’s got cold in my mind now. Save some of the beginning for four or five or six pp., and I’ll have it ready [MTHL 2: 593].

Check #  Payee  Amount  [Notes]