Home at Hartford: Day By Day

December 8 Thursday – In Hartford Sam answered Orion Clemens’ Dec. 5 letter. Sam felt he’d never given an interviewer or biographer any information that he wanted to someday put in his autobiography; he hated “all mention of my private history, anyway.

December 8 Sunday – The intended official publication date for Connecticut Yankee in Canada [Aug. 20 to Hall].

December 8 Monday – Sam wrote to Houghton, Mifflin & Co. inquiring about Alexander Brown’s work, The Genesis of the United States. Brown wrote Sam on Dec. 4. Sam’s letter is not extant, but is referred to in Houghton’s Dec. 10 reply [MTP].

Franklin G. Whitmore wrote a note for Sam to James N. Kimball, giving him permission to “use or reproduce the story shorthand from his book ‘The Tramp Abroad’ Namely: ‘Baker’s Blue Jay I am” [MTP].

December 9 Tuesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James Cowan (1839-1884), declining to “write something for the ‘Knapsack’ as his time was “so wholly occupied on the closing chapters of a book…” [MTLE 4: 175].

Sam’s response to Thomas B. Kirby ran under the heading “Mark Twain and Postal Matters” in the Hartford Courant [MTLE 4: 170; Camfield, bibliog.].

December 9 Thursday – Sam’s humorous note to Childhood’s Appeal ran in that publication [MTLE 5: 213]. (See Nov. 30 entry.)

Charles Perkins wrote to Sam about Bissell & Co. offering an attractive investment at a “very choice 7” percent for a loan of $5,000 [MTNJ 2: 379n68]. Sam bought in.

December 9 Friday – Sam left Montreal for Hartford at 8:30 AM [Dec. 8 letter to Osgood]. It was a day-long trip by rail.

December 9 Saturday – Karl & Hattie J. Gerhardt wrote twice to Sam and Livy, in the first enclosing “a clearance paper from our consul here for a box (contents marked on invoice). It will go on the ‘Labrador’ … which sails from Ham on the 16th of December.” The baby bust was inside. The second one page letter was simply Merry Christmas wishes [MTP].

December 9 Tuesday – Sam and Cable were driven around Toronto to see the sights, which included the University of Toronto. They visited the studio of painter Andrew Dickson Patterson (1854-1930) famous a year later for his portrait of Canada’s first prime minister, John A. Macdonald (1815-1891).

Sam wrote from Toronto, Canada to Livy:

December 9 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Walter E. Dacrow, who evidently had asked for a small article. Sam’s answer deserves space here:

If anything in the world could tempt me, this letter of yours could certainly do it. But I give myself only five years longer to live, and in that time I must furnish certain books for the betterment of the human race; if I should stop to peddle miscellaneous articles, it would leave the human race insecure [MTP].

December 9 Thursday – Sam, James B. Pond and Mr. & Mrs. Henry M. Stanley left Sam’s home and took the train to Boston, Mass. In the evening, Sam introduced Stanley’s lecture, “Through the Dark Continent” at the Tremont Temple. Published in Fatout, MT Speaking 214-15. (See also Gribben 658.) Fatout’s preface:

December 9 Friday – From Sam’s notebook, another co. bank balance: 15,076.79. Draft & notes due, $554 [MTNJ 3: 359].

Check #  Payee  Amount  [Notes]

3933  Mr. James Quin[n]  40.00   RR Agent

December 9 Sunday – Abby Sage Richardson wrote to Sam, thanking him,

…for your very kind letter received yesterday. Since you give me permission I am going to make the attempt [MTNJ 3: 436n93]. Note: See Dec. 4. Sam and Richardson would sign a contract on Jan. 3, 1889 for her to dramatize P&P.

December 9 Monday – Sam’s notebook carries a “Mem. Of Agreement” dated this date in the body and Dec. 14 (date to be executed?) in the heading, for sales of 50 “Royalty Deeds of the Paige Compositor for fifty thousand dollars” to Elmira businessman Matthias Hollenback Arnot. Sam signed his wife’s name in the memo to be a witness [3: 536].

Note: right after this entry: West Point Jan 11 / Eggleston, Author’s Club, midnight, Dec. 31. (See Dec. 19 & 31 entries)

December 9 Tuesday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam and Livy. To Sam: “This express box contains Ma’s Bible, with the record of her great-grandfather’s death 120 years ago, her father’s snuff box, her own mother’s ring, with ‘P.L.’ for Peggy Lampton, who died 72 years ago, and other things.” To Livy: “Sam and I can sympathize with you in your great loss” (at her mother’s passing). Mollie also conveyed her sympathies [MTP

Dunham Wheeler wrote from N.Y. to Sam:

February 1 Tuesday – Livy and Clara Spaulding went to the Gerhardts; they fell in love with the young couple and invited them to dinner a few nights later [MTLP 399].

February 1 Wednesday – Joe Twichell wrote: “Your remembrance of dear Alex Holley, and your liking for him will give the enclosed eulogy and notice of the works he wrought some interest to you….Hope Jean and House are better this morning…” [MTP]. Note: Alexander Lyman Holley died on Jan. 29; he was the foremost steel engineer of his time.

February 1 Friday – Sam took Livy to a play, Robert M. Bird’s The Gladiator in Robert’s Opera House in Hartford. Marshall Mallory pestered Sam about producing a play, but Sam put him off.

Livy wrote from Hartford to Louise Cable about her husband’s condition.

February 1 Sunday – Sam wrote from Chicago, Illinois to Livy, giving her the future reading dates and reviewing the past few days.

February 1 Monday – Back in Hartford Sam wrote to Charles Webster, advising him to try and put publishing General Grant’s letters to Mrs. Grant off for a year. He wrote that Livy suggested it and they’d talked it over. 

February 1 Tuesday ca. – In Hartford Sam responded to a form letter from Mrs. John M. Holcombe for the Darby and Joan Club of Hartford, which had decided to rename itself the Century Club. Sam wrote across the form, “Dear Mrs. Holcombe. The old Clemenses have joined.” Others named on the form were Mrs. J.M. Taylor, Mrs. William Hamersley, Mrs. George Perkins, Mrs. William Matson, and Mrs.

February 1 Wednesday – Crown Point Iron Co. Sent a financial statement to Sam [MTP].

Hartford bills:

Clarence L. Palmer & Co, dealers in Meats, Poultry, and Vegetables billed $73.95, for “Amt Bill per pass book” (no detail) paid Feb. 4

Robbins Brothers, Manufacturers and Dealers in Furniture of Every Description billed $7.50 for “Repairing cabinet & 2 chairs & hanging door at house”; paid Feb. 4 [MTP].

February 1 Friday – Sam’s notebook carries a list of names indicating the order in which he planned visits before leaving Washington. Some have addresses (not included below). They are:

Mrs. President Cleveland; Gen. Joseph R. Hawley; Mrs. Ralph Cross Johnson; Mrs. Secretary Whitney; William D. Cabell Sat. Eve. 8.30. 9; Mrs. Hitt ; Mrs George Hearst; Mrs. John Hay; John Hay; Mr. S.G. Ward & Miss Howard; Z.C. Robbins [MTNJ 3: 447].

February 1 Saturday – Sam went to New York City and would return Feb. 3. Clara Clemens also went for an appointment with her orthodontist. Miss Lilly Gillette Foote, the Clemens’ governess accompanied them [Livy to her mother, Feb.2, MTP].

Sam’s notebook:

February 10 Tuesday – William Gedney Bunce wrote to advise Sam that “Your picture starts today”—evidently a picture ordered [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Wm Gedney Bunch, Artist”.

February 10 Friday – In Hartford, Sam declined an invitation from Lt. Charles E. Wood to come up to West Point for an Officers Hop (see Feb. 3 entry). Wood had been post adjutant in 1881 and now served as the post librarian. Sam declined due to illnesses in his and Twichell’s families. Wood wrote again on Feb. 11.