Home at Hartford: Day By Day

September 17 Friday, before – Sam wrote in his notebook plans for a one-day outing to Springlake Beach, New Jersey during the ten-day stop in New York after the family’s return from Keokuk [MTNJ 3: 256n94]. No evidence of the considered side-trip was found, though there certainly was time for such a side-trip and Frank M. Scott’s letter of Sept. 18 hints the trip may have been made Sept.

September 17 Saturday – This was the date Sam told Whitmore he’d be back in Hartford (see Aug.17), but the family actually arrived the day before [Sept. 10 telegram to Whitmore].

September 17 Monday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Andrew Chatto, having received his notes and statement for his English royalties. He was mistaken about the Library of Humor being popular in England, he wrote. “I shan’t meddle any more in that direction.” As for CY, Sam wrote he got a late start on it in Elmira and would try to finish the last third of it by spring [MTP].

September 17 Wednesday – Beckwith’s notes indicate that Sam dined with Carroll Beckwith and Miss Field at Onteora [Beckwith’s unpublished papers at the Smithsonian; offered by a MT scholar who wishes to remain unnamed].

September 18 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira to David Gray, old friend and editor in Buffalo. On Sept. 10 Sam and family had gone through Buffalo on their latest trip to Fredonia, but Gray wasn’t home, so missed a visit.

September 18 Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Mary Mason Fairbanks. After relating his trip to Fredonia and back, Sam’s fatigue led him to declare, “I am an old man at 45—older than some men are at 80.” He urged Mary to visit them in Hartford, that he didn’t think he could stand a trip to “that remote region” (Cleveland) where she lived. He expected to be able to send her a copy of P&P by Dec. 1.

September 18 Monday – Sam wrote from Elmira to James R. Osgood, upon his return from a European vacation. Sam was struggling with the Mississippi book.

Welcome home! I have been half dead with malaria ever since you left; and these last few days am two-thirds dead. I work all the time, but accomplish very little—sometimes as little as 200 words in 5 hours.

September 18 Tuesday – Edward Greey (1835-1888) wrote from NYC, appreciative that his “daughter received Sam’s amusing note, which she has placed among her treasures.” Greey sent a bottle of sake and some wine [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Author of a lot of Japanese books”; Also a dealer in Japanese art, and an unusual author who ended things with a bullet.

W. D. Howells wrote:

September 18 Friday – Livy wrote in her diary: “We arrived home safely on the 18th of Sept. and the children began their lessons on the 21st” [Salsbury 212; MTP].

September 18 Saturday – Webster & Co., per Frank M. Scott wrote of Frederick J. Hall being “obliged to go West in regard to the account of R.T. Root, he owing us some $36,000.” Whitford felt Hall should go see Root. Scott wrote of trying to catch Sam at the Normandie Hotel, then the Gedney House and finally the Murray Hill, where Sam had just left for Hartford and home.

September 18 Sunday – Alfred P. Burbank wrote to Sam. Trial performances of Colonel Sellers as a Scientist to small audiences in Rochester and Syracuse had received poor reviews from newspapers there. Still, Burbank was optimistic. He invited Sam to attend a Sept.

September 18 Tuesday – Webster & Co. Sent Sam two letters, from and to a Mr. J.O. Ashenhurst, who wrote like an old school buddy from Cairo, Egypt. “Some unknown friend” Sam noted [MTP].

Park & Tilford, N.Y. Grocers billed & receipted $6.05 for: Oolong 5.40 ; misc charges .25, .40 COD [MTP] Note: the extra charges reflect shipment to Elmira.

September 18 Thursday – Dion Boucicault died. Born Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot, he was a famed Irish actor and playwright who specialized in melodramas. The New York Times obituary called him “the most conspicious English dramatist of the 19th century.” See May 17, 1873 and Mar. 9, 1883 entries

Orion Clemens wrote to Sam: “Dr. Bancroft thinks Ma is the worst she has been, and that she may not pull through” [MTP].

September – Sam wrote a parody of the poem by James Leigh Hunt, “About Ben Adhem”. See Sam’s parody “Abou Ben Butler” [MTNJ 2: 372-3]. Sam’s second of three McWilliams sketches, “Mrs. McWilliams and the Lightning” ran in the September issue of the Atlantic Monthly [Wells 23]. Sam copied in his notebook John Sheffield’s famous quatrain:

Read Homer once, & you can read no more;

For all books else appear so mean, so poor;

September – Based on Aug. 31 entry evidence, Sam probably wrote the Hamlet burlesque during this month.

September – In the Century Magazine for the month, William Dean Howells published what Powers calls “one of the earliest appreciations” of Sam Clemens’ literature. Howells compared Sam’s originality with humor as a form to Shakespeare’s use of poetry as poetical. He explained the difference between “merely facetious” humorists such as Josh Billings or the late Artemus Ward and Sam’s use of humor” [MT A Life 464].

September – Sam’s notebook mentions Calvin Ellis Stowe (1802-1886) and his 1867 work, Origin and History of the Books of the Bible, etc. Stowe claimed that no facsimile of the New Testament had ever been taken from the Vatican Bible; Sam thought it might be a “good thing if we could get a scrap for the Pope’s life” [Gribben 669].

September – Brander Matthews’ article “An Open Letter to Close a Correspondence” in the New Princeton Review this month would elicit a response with from Sam in the same publication [Neider, MT As I Find It 217n]. See January, 1888.

Sam’s notebook entry:

Anna Keary novels Jennettte’s Home, Castle Bailey, & others. McMillan / Next Door, by Clara Louise Burnham [MTNJ 3: 316; Gribben 115; NB 27 TS 13].

September – Sam referred to Blackstone’s Commentaries in his notebook:

Book 4, ch 27, Blackstone. Read it.

The chapter was “Of Trials and Convictions” which deals with ways of determining guilt and innocence [MTNJ 3: 423&n51; Gribben 73].

September – Sometime during the month Sam inscribed a copy of The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood to Elsie Leslie Lyde: To Elsie Leslie Lyde. / This book is for you, my dear, & / you will like it. / Mark Twain [MTP].

September 19 Monday – James A. Garfield lost his long struggle. He was the second U.S. President to be assassinated. Chester A. Arthur would be sworn in as the new President on Sept. 20.

Sam wrote from Elmira to his mother, that it “took me two days to get rested again” from the trip to Fredonia, the return trip through Buffalo, and home. He was glad Livy and the children had not been along, but:

September 19 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster, upset about material bearing his name published by J.S. Ogilvie & Co. that he had not written.

“Dear Charley—I want Messrs. Alexander & Green to go for these people at once & lively, on some charge or other. They are using my name to sell stuff which I never wrote. I would not be the author of that witless stuff (Bad Boy’s Diary) for a million dollars” [MTBus 197].

September 19 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to the Mallory brothers, George S. and Marshall H. Mallory.

“You have a contract with Mr. Will Gillette; & I am aware that you are trying (as usual with you) to sneak out of the performance of its conditions. I am personally interested in the matter; therefore I suggest to you couple of piety-mouthing, hypocritical thieves & liars that you change your customary policy this time” [MTP].

September 19 Friday – The contract with James Pond for the readings tour with George Cable was signed. The tour was to run from Nov. 5, 1884 through the end of Feb. 1885 [MTNJ 3: 60n143]. Sam wrote a list of possible readings in his notebook before this date.

Charles Webster wrote to Clemens: Pond contract signed; bust photo for HF, other misc. [MTP].

September 19 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to General William Tecumseh Sherman. After sending a telegram in the morning, he sent a note of apology for not answering Sherman’s letter sooner. Sherman had asked if Sam would consider for publication his manuscript, a collection of Sherman’s travel notes from Europe. Of course he would read it, Sam answered.