Home at Hartford: Day By Day

September 23 Sunday – Sam noted on the Boston book importer Carl Schoenhof’s July 28 postcard concerning his order of German anthologies, “Hasn’t come yet (Sept. 23)”

September 23 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Dora Wheeler, turning down her invitation to visit in early October. Sam responded that he had to write due to Livy’s pinkeye, which she’d suffered from since last February, and that guests were expected for the first half of October (Frank Finlay and daughter Miss Mary Finlay; Pamela Moffett); he felt “it would be noble spree, & most sorry we are that we can’t be in it” [MTP].

September 23 Tuesday – This is the planned day for the Clemens family to return to Hartford (see Sept. 15 entry). They may have spent a day or two in New York City on their return, as was their habit when summers were spent at Quarry Farm.

Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam enclosing reports (not extant) for the past two weeks; they had “sold 2297 volumes…from our home office, which is, of course. exclusive of general agents’ sales…” [MTP].

September 24 Friday – Charles Dudley Warner wrote to Sam. “I really don’t think there is any danger in your coming now…” He felt the trouble with Sam’s petition to the Courant was it would be difficult to say anything (about the malaria) “without causing a row” [MTP]. File note: “SLC’s petition was probably letter to Editor, Courant, between 21 & 24 Sept 1880—about malaria—MTP has incomplete draft”

September 24 Saturday – Hubbard & Farmer bankers & brokers wrote to advise selling 100 shares of Omaha Common at $45 [MTP].

September 24 Sunday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Charles Webster about settling for royalties owed him by the Sheldon & Co.; Osgood’s return to New York; and the Slote matter of the $5,000 “loan” which was still being settled, probably from his estate.

September 24 Monday – From Sam’s notebook: “Sept. 24, ’83, ordered Worden & co, 48 Wall st, to buy 100 Or Trans at 40.” Note: From MTNJ 3: 29n50:

September 24 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Karl Gerhardt in Philadelphia:

“Dear K—Call at the Lafayette Hotel [in Philadelphia] at 9 SHARP, day after to-morrow (Friday) morning, & ask for J. B. Smith. That will be me. Keep my real name quiet. If nothing happens, I shall be there—otherwise I will send you some letters of introduction.”

September 24 Thursday – Grover Cleveland replied to Sam’s Sept. 23:

My dear Sir: / Your letter is this moment received; and I am so pleased with it and so grateful for it, that I must put every thing else aside for a few minutes, and thank you for your kind, sensible, and hard-headed words.

September 24 Friday – Dr. John Nutting Farrar, the Clemens family orthodontist of New York wrote asking about a case Sam had mentioned while there. The doctor also wrote “I shall be able soon to report on your daughter’s case” (Clara). Sam wrote on the envelope, “Send him that squib” [MTP]. Clara had seen the orthodontist during their week’s stay in N.Y.

September 24 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote to his sister-in-law, Susan L. Crane, thanking her for pictures sent of the cats, and of William (farm hand?) and a horse. Sam also had an idea to improve Quarry Farm life:

When you & Theo come, I will take him down town & discuss an electric light plant for the farm — make your own electricity on the premises; $700 or $1000 for the plant; after that, no expense, no wear-&-tear [MTP].

September 24 Monday – The Clemens family left Elmira in the afternoon for the ten-hour train trip to New York City, which would have put them there late in the evening. They checked into the Murray Hill Hotel, where Sam wrote Whitmore on Wednesday (Sept. 22 and Sept. 26 to Whitmore).

Sam’s notebook entry with calculations of amounts owed for their summer stay for check #:

September 24 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook:

At 12.15, Sept. 24, a man went along my sidewalk on a low bicycle; Jo Lane & Hough were in a buggy; I stopped them & pointed the man out, who was not on the sidewalk beyond the bridge, & asked them to get his name, so I could report him to the police [3: 522]. Note: Hartford grocer Joseph G. Lane and broker Niles P. Hough, also a resident of Farmington Ave.

September 24 Wednesday – Daniel Whitford wrote to Sam about James G. Batterson investing in the Paige typesetter. Batterson had seen the machine and was impressed with it, but was not “so situated that he could take any financial interest in it now as his legitimate business requires all his time” [MTNJ 3: 583n35]. Note: Batterson was founder and head man at Travelers Insurance Co.

September 25 Monday – Karl & Hattie J. Gerhardt wrote to Sam and Livy, having just read a half column in the NY Times about Clemens’ summer home. Discussion of visits to Abbott Thayer and Augustus Saint-Gaudens [MTP].

Silas M. Tellone, Louisville, wrote asking for a letter from Mark Twain [MTP].

September 25 Thursday – Sam left Elmira on this day, two days after his family left for New York, and traveled to Philadelphia (see letter to Webster, Sept. 24). He stopped briefly at the Brunswick Hotel in New York to check on the family. See Sept. 26 notes.

September 25 Friday – Courtlandt Palmer wrote that Sam’s “kind but disappointing letter of the 23rd is received” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Appoints May 1 (no good) & will write me Mch 1. I can’t”

September 25 Saturday † – James Redpath wrote to Sam enclosing a Sept. 20 letter from Donn Piatt. Redpath wanted to know where to send Piatt’s book for evaluation [MTP].

September 25 Sunday – Alfred P. Burbank wrote to Sam asking if he would be in N.Y. this week — “when and where I may see you. If you are not to come here I will run up to Hartford” [MTP].

September 25 Tuesday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam. The Library of Humor had come and he knew of no agents for it there — could he help? “It was Ella Trabue, daughter of Polly Paxton, Ma’s favorite cousin and playmate” who with her girls carried off some of Ma’s things [MTP].

September 25 Wednesday – Opha Moore editor of Light wrote to Sam: “Yours of the 23rd just received. I will not bother you for anything until after LIGHT makes its first appearance from New York and you have a chance to see the kind of a paper it is to be” [MTP].

September 25 Thursday – T.E. Roessle for The Arlington House, Washington, wrote to Sam and returned Sam’s check for $25 overpaid, since “Mr. Paige’s a/c was, as you will see, included in yours” [MTP].

September 26 Friday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Ainsworth Spofford, librarian of Congress for a copyright for A Tramp Abroad [MTLE 4: 105].

September 26 Tuesday – Page Mercer Baker for New Orleans Times-Democrat wrote, sending the article that Sam had asked for in his Sept. 22 letter. He spoke of the “evening we spent at Johns—the good stories over the wine, the music (in which Cables thin but melodious tenor mingled sweetly with Burthes magnificent baritone)…etc.” [MTP]. Note: the evening was May 2; see entry.

September 26 Friday – Sam wrote from New York to James B. Pond.

Cable didn’t come. However, I wasn’t expecting him or depending on him. But it wasn’t any matter, for Gerhardt doesn’t need a picture of me, & if he does he can get it at Falk’s, who has made a large one in profile. All he will need, now, is a suitable picture of Cable. I want the things to be made by Gerhardt—it will advertise him. Give G.W. my love, & tell him he didn’t disappoint me, I wasn’t looking for him.