Home at Hartford: Day By Day

September 19 Sunday – The Chicago Tribune, p.12, ran an interview of Sam by Edwin J. Park, “A Day with Mark Twain / The Genial Humorist at His Summer Home.” Budd summarizes: “Many small details on Quarry Farm setting; SLC has done no writing there during past summer” [“Interviews” 5]. See this entire interview in Scharnhorst, p 91-4.) Note: This also ran in the Boston Daily Globe on Sept.

September 19 Monday – In Hartford Sam responded to Chatto & Windus’ Aug. 24 notice that the Inland Revenue Department had assessed an income tax on his British book sales profits. Today, Sam might have deducted all costs of trips to England, but then Sam simply asked C&W to pay the tax on all sums paid him as “profits” for the 1885-6 and 1886-7 years. Further, he requested that they withhold and pay such taxes from his earnings in the future.

September 19 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam wrote a short note to Orion. He’d sent some woman $100 not knowing who she was — perhaps someone Orion knew. Note: see below & also Sept. 26 — this was Ella Trabue Smith, Sam’s second cousin.

Theodore is doing fairly, but not more than that. Sue is rather discouraged today [MTP].

Sam’s notebook: [Chk #] 4315, Sep.19 $100 Mrs.Ellen [Ella] Trabue Smith [3: 477]. (See Sept. 26)

September 19 Thursday – In Cambridge, Mass., William Dean Howells wrote to Sam about CY.

September 19 Friday – At Onteora Park, Carroll Beckwith’s journal notes that Sam sat one last time for the “finished” portrait [Beckwith’s unpublished papers at the Smithsonian; offered by a MT scholar who wishes to remain unnamed].

September 2 Tuesday – The Cunard liner S.S.Gallia steamed into New York. Fatout:

September 2 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster, sending a design for the back & side of P&P. “Take perfect care of it, & don’t let it get injured.” Sam wanted a Kaolatype cast of it [MTP].

September 2 Saturday – Jane Clemens had moved to Keokuk to live with Orion and Mollie Clemens.

Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Perkins asking him to make up a tax list of taxable items. Sam also wanted him to send his mother’s and Orion’s checks to Keokuk, Iowa, “henceforth, & increase Orion’s to $100 a month.”

September 2 Tuesday – Charles Webster wrote twice to Clemens [MTP]. (financial statements enclosed) [MTP].

September 2 Wednesday – Susan E. Dickinson wrote: “I sent Miss Bond off to school 24 hours before your letter came. Now I send her your check; and she will send it back to me to draw from bank here…”” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Anna Dickinson’s sister”; Sade E. Bond.

September 2 Thursday – Clara Spaulding (“Aunt Clara”) wed John Barry Stanchfield (1855-1921) an attorney. They lived in New York City and Islip, Long Island. They would have two children, Alice Spaulding Stanchfield and John B. Stanchfield, Jr. [Salsbury 433]. The ceremony took place at the house of Harry C. Spaulding, Main Street, Elmira at 8:00 p.m., Thomas K.

September 2 Friday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall, his man at Webster & Co. He was concerned about deadlines given for the Beecher biography and wanted them telegraphed that they must have the manuscript by Sept. 20.

September 2 Monday – Daniel Carter Beard wrote compliments to Sam: “It is a great pleasure for me to know that my pictures are admired by the author and a still greater pleasure to receive personal acknowledgement of his appreciation” [MTP].

Orion Clemens wrote to Sam, ashamed that he was “so slowly with the Kings,” and had spent all morning on the lawn and related all the projects the house needed. [MTP].

September 2 Tuesday – Sam gave a Browning reading for the gathering at Onteora Park [Beckwith’s unpublished papers at the Smithsonian; offered by a MT scholar who wishes to remain unnamed].

September 20 Monday – Sam packed a satchel and ordered a place in the sleeper car for by telephone, and prepared to leave the next morning for Buffalo and possibly Fredonia. He would visit family and the David Gray family. Six-year-old Clara came down with a very bad throat and the doctor was called. Sam canceled the trip [MTLE 5: 164].

September 20 Tuesday – The Clemens family left Elmira and traveled overnight to New York. (See Sept. 17 to Webster).

September 20 Wednesday – Sam often wrote notes about what he called “mental telegraphy,” thinking about a person from years ago right before their letter arrived, or as in Twichell’s case in Germany, turning a corner and meeting a man from years before he’d just been talking about. Sam’s notebook:

“Livy says ‘I have no memory.’ My own thought but about myself last night” [MTNJ 2: 505].

September 20 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells, inviting the Howellses to visit: “Right away—to-morrow, next day, any day you please” [MTHL 1: 443].

Edward Greey wrote another short note about Miss Barbara (daughter?) being concerned about his last letter to Clemens [MTP].

September 20 Saturday – In Elmira Sam wrote to James B. Pond.

“I & the family will arrive at the Brunswick on Tuesday evening. I will talk to you about the lithograph & learn the proposed size & style of it. This is necessary for Mrs. Clemens is dead opposed to it; & if she remains so, that’ll end it.”

September 20 Sunday – Sam and Twichell walked to Talcott’s Tower, as was their custom in the summer and fall, about a ten mile trip. Joe wrote in his journal,

“To the Tower on foot with M.T. Plenty of delightful talk. Much to tell on both sides” [Yale, copy at MTP].

September 20 Monday – Charles Webster wrote from London to his Uncle Sam. His business was complete in Europe; he’d “made contracts with the best firms in each of the following countries: Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Holland and England.” Webster & Co. Was to receive 20% of the retail price of the Pope book, the firms to translate and publish at their expense. He announced they would sail on the City of Rome Sept. 30, the first passage he could make [MTP].

September 20 Tuesday – Almira Hancock’s Reminiscences of Winfield Scott Hancock was officially published on schedule [From Hall Sept. 21].

September 20 Thursday – In Elmira Sam answered Sarah Knowles Bolton’s letter of Sept. 17, saying that subscription books received “various kinds” of royalties, but “not often 10%. Five per cent is good enough” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore sending some sort of typesetter statistics, and liked Whitmore’s suggestion to make one Rogers a watchman for the Paige machine. He advised,

September 20 Friday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam — more of Ma’s feeble mindedness and of the improvements being made to their new house, and hoping they might come next June [MTP].

September 20 Saturday – A long biographical sketch, “Modern Men: Mark Twain,” ran in the Edinburgh Scots Observer [Tenney 17]. After praising and discussing all of Sam’s prior works, granting some the level of masterpiece, the article turned to CY: