Home at Hartford: Day By Day

November 15 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster. “If the brass experiments fail, try copper.” Sam thought that copper or some alloy of copper would “cast perfectly” [MTP].

November 15 Wednesday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam, Bullock to Orion Nov. 13 enclosed. He apologized for sending so much information about electric lights, but Orion thought it might strike as an investment [MTP].

November 15 Thursday – In the afternoon, the Clemenses held a tea for Matthew Arnold in their Hartford home [LeMaster 36]. Arnold gave his “Numbers” lecture after the tea. He also visited the Clemens home in the evening. Sam did not disclose to Howells what the two talked about [Powers, MT A Life 480]. From Twichell’s journal:

November 15 Saturday – The Boston Daily Advertiser touted George W. Cable as a southern gentleman, Sam as a Connecticut resident—adding the Civil War reconciliation aspect, a “literary bridging of the bloody chasm” and a “rostrum of rapproachment of Louisiana and Connecticut” [Lorch 164].

Sam and Cable gave a matinee reading in Boston [Turner, MT & GWC 59].

November 15 Sunday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Pelham Ogle.

November 15 Monday – Charles Webster wrote to Sam about a book they might publish:

Henry Clews wants us to publish a book written by him entitled “Twenty Eight Years in Wall St.,” being personal recollections of eminent capitalists [MTLTP 209n1]. (See Sam’s answer Nov. 17). Note: this was one of an “avalanche of offers” stemming from success of the Grant Memoirs.

November 15 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Webster & Co. He was still directing pieces in and out of the Library of Humor. Obtaining permission from the American Publishing Co. Was still on the menu, and Sam calculated that it should be asked for “one week before canvass begins,” so as to keep them from rushing “out a rival book ahead of us” [MTP].

November 15 Thursday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Augustin Daly. Grace King had completed a dramatization of her novel, Monsieur Motte, and Sam wanted to bring her to New York the next Tuesday (Nov. 20) to introduce her.

November 15 Friday – Sam and Livy made a trip to New York, where Sam was to speak [MTHL 2: 621n3]. This is the day Fred Hall reported on Nov. 11 that complete sheets would have been printed for CY, so it’s likely Sam stopped by Webster & Co.

In the evening Sam gave a dinner speech at the Fellowcraft Club, New York City. Fatout prefaces a copy of the speech in Mark Twain Speaking, p.247-50:

November 15 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Joseph Hatton of the N.Y. Herald that it had been “an age since we foregathered in London.” Sam was reminded that he was old. Hatton’s Nov. 11 confessed he’d missed the P&P play in Brooklyn, which was Edward H. House’s version. “Not much loss,” Sam wrote. As for visiting the Hattons in New York, Sam wrote,

November 16 Sunday – Orion and Mollie Clemens wrote to Sam and Livy, Orion stories enclosed.

November 16 Tuesday – Clara Spaulding signed Livy’s visitor book [MTP]. Note: the book was not used again until June 7, 1885, when Livy changed it to her diary. She then used it through Nov. 27, 1885 and again neglected it until the stay at Florence, Italy in 1892-3. There are some late entries from Riverdale, New York in 1902 as well.

November 16 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to David “Wattie” Bowser thanking him for “the photographs & the pretty pictures.” Sam promised to reciprocate with a copy of P&P when it issued in December [MTP].

November 16 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Judge Horace Russell about his trouble in hitting upon a subject for a toast for the Dec. 21 dinner [MTP].

November 16 Sunday – Cardwell says Sam was in Providence, R.I. on this day, and Cable “presumably had one or two days at home in Simsbury” [19]. Sam must have continued on to Hartford, because he wrote from there to James B.

November 16 Monday – Sam referred to “12 hours’ cast-iron sleep,” going to “bed at 6” in his Nov. 17 to Livy. “…was asleep at half-past. I woke up twice for ¾ of an hour in the night…” [MTP].

George W. Elliot for American Rural Home Weekly wrote hoping that Sam “might be induced to write a few lines.” Elliot was a fan of Clemens’ efforts for a monument to Adam [MTP].

November 16 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to the Clover Club that “engagements already entered into” prevented his attending their meeting [MTP]. Note: The Clover was a Philadelphia dancing club formed in 1881. It was famous for its distinguished guests and for its humorous way of entertaining them. Sam spoke there in 1885 (See Apr. 9, 1885 entry.)

November 16 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Mary Mason Fairbanks — obviously a response to a letter from her (not extant) to get together while she was in New York. Sam’s letter was addressed c/o Chas. M. Fairbanks [her son] at the New York Sun office.

November 16 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote a short letter of compliment to Grace King on her novella, “Earthlings,” which ran in the November issue of Lippincott’s Magazine. The theme of King in this work and in Monsieur Motte, was that of worthy New Orleaneans and their struggles after the Civil War.

Dear Miss King:

November 16 Saturday – Sam and Livy returned to Hartford. In Hartford, Sam telegraphed Joe Goodman in care of Samuel Moffett (not having Joe’s address), saying “Close no bargain if you have not already done so. Wait for my letter.” Then Sam wrote the letter, leading with his description of the telegram and outlining his “new project”, and marking it “Private”:

November 16 Sunday – Sam’s notebook entry for this day lists songs given at an evening concert given by the Fisk University Jubilee Singers in Hartford’s Asylum Hill Congregational Church. These include, “I know that my Redeemer Lives,” “Steal Away,” and “It Causes me to Tremble,” which Sam noted was “Beautiful.” In between songs the Rev. C.W. Sheldon, secretary of the American Missionary Association, who was traveling with the group; and Joseph Twichell, and some of the singers gave short speeches.

November 16–17 Saturday – Sam, Livy and William Dean Howells went to Boston sometime during this period. Matthew Arnold lectured there on Nov. 17 [MTHL 1: 449n2].

November 17 Monday – Sam arrived home at 2:30 A.M. Later in the day he wrote from Hartford to Howells. He hadn’t had much sleep in Chicago and somehow didn’t feel tired, but knew fatigue would come. He waxed eloquent about the Chicago event and especially Robert Green Ingersoll’s speech.

November 17 Wednesday – Sam responded to a request from the wife of David Gray, Martha “Mattie” G. Gray, sending a sketch for the Buffalo Bazaar Bulletin.

November 17 Thursday – Sam gave an introductory speech for Archibald Forbes (1838-1900), Allyn House, Hartford. Forbes was a British war correspondent who wrote several novels after this time. The Courant reported, “Mr. Clemens’s introductory was received with much applause. He said:— ”