Home at Hartford: Day By Day

February 6 Wednesday – Sam telegraphed from Hartford to James B. Pond:

“Medicines are about discarded food has taken their place further telegraphing not worth while” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Milicent W. Shinn (See Oct. 27, 1882 entry):

February 6 Friday – In the afternoon, Sam wrote from Layfayette, Indiana to Livy:

February 6 Saturday – Sam signed a contract with James Paige, agreeing to pay him $7,000 annual salary, and undertake up to $30,000 in improvements to the typesetter, with no overall ceiling on his investment responsibilities. He was also obligated to raise capital for the machine and to promote it upon completion. In exchange, Sam would gain a larger share of the profits. Hamersley, for money already invested and for legal advice, was let in for ten per cent. Powers writes:

February 6 Sunday – In Hartford Sam accepted an invitation by John M. Holcombe (husband to the woman who had sent the form about Feb. 1 renaming the Darby and Joan Club to the Century Club) to speak briefly. It was “pretty short notice,” Sam wrote but he would be glad to come and “weave a 5-minute discourse out of” the remarks of other speakers [MTP]. Note: No doubt this was the Feb.

February 6 Wednesday – The Hartford Alumni of Yale gave an annual banquet. This year’s took place at Foot Guard Hall in Hartford at 6:30 p.m. Sam gave what was “apparently” an impromptu and humorous dinner speech based upon his recent honorary MA degree from the school. He spoke of his recent trip to Washington and support for international copyright legislation. His notebook [MTNJ 3: 456-7&472] carries what may be drafts for this speech. Livy and Susan L.

February 6 Thursday – From New York, Charles Scribner’s & Sons wrote to Sam thanking him for his photograph and signature, and asking the name of someone who was “competent” to write a 800 to 1,000 word biographical sketch they might put in the April issue of The Book Buyer [MTP].

Daniel Whitford wrote one-sentence to Sam that he’d just received the papers and Sam’s letter [MTP].

February 6 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Livy at the Continental Hotel in Philadelphia. Livy was traveling with Mrs. Beach and visiting Susy Clemens at Bryn Mawr. A. Hoffman writes she went to help with the production of Iolanthe, a play in which Susy played the role of Phyllis. Students discovered Susy had a fine soprano voice; this was probably the beginning of Susy’s singing ambitions [366-7; Neider, Papa 12].

February 7 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles B. Andrews (1836-1902), Governor of Conn. Sam enclosed the Feb. 6 letter from “Rev. Mr. Davis” that mentioned the Governor; Sam wished to verify the Governor’s recommendation [MTLE 5: 19]. Note: See Feb. 11 reply from Andrews.

Sam also wrote to Orion.

February 7 Monday – Western Union bill of Feb. 28 shows a message sent to New York, recipient unspecified.

Pamela Moffett wrote to Sam, noting she’d rec’d two letters from him on Feb. 6, and thanked him and Mr. Chamberlaine for their interest in Sammy Moffett, who was in Calif. She told of more friction with Ella Lampton—Orion was charmed by her but Mollie not so much. Ma sent her love… [MTP].

February 7 Tuesday – Estes & Lauriat, bookseller wrote to Sam; letter not extant [MTP].

Charles Webster wrote: “We are to have 500 of the new books this afternoon.” He included various ad rates. Part of the letter is torn and missing [MTP].

Worden & Co. wrote advice selling 100 shares Western Union @ 81 &3/4 [MTP].

February 7 Wednesday – Christian Tauchnitz, Jr. wrote hoping to soon receive proofs of LM from Chatto—he could pay Chatto or Twain direct, as Sam pleased. Seeing that they had not yet published all of Sam’s works in their Continental Edition, he sent a list of those they had [MTP].

February 7 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Frank Bliss:

“By the middle of next lecture season Mr. Cable’s name will be a household word in this country. He has in his hands a couple of literary bonanzas which I think ought to be published in no way but by subscription…”

Sam urged Bliss to talk to Cable, even though the literary bonanzas were not “completely ready for the press” [MTP].

February 7 Saturday – Sam got up at 7 AM and took a train to Indianapolis, Indiana. On the train he wrote to Livy, explaining how black coffee made him “cheerful, & easy, & confidential & conversational with the audience,” but it didn’t protect him from “disastrous lapses of memory which come of over-fatigue.” Sam was counting the days now till he would be home, “at half past 3 on a Sunday morning Feb. 22!” [MTP].

February 7 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Lilian Aldrich for the ailing Livy, declining an invitation to visit. Not only was Livy laid up, but also daughter Clara, who found tobogganing a dangerous sport:

Clara & her toboggan ran into a tree, & the former got the worst sprained ankle in history. It is thought she must keep her bed several weeks.

February 7 Monday – John W. Chapman, an assistant chaplain of the City Missionary Society of New York wrote to Sam of the death of Jesse M.

February 7 Tuesday – C. Blanchard for The Conquerer (Binghamton, N.Y.) wrote asking Sam for an article and enclosing two issues of the publication. Sam wrote, “Editor of amateur paper asks for an article” [MTP].

February 7 Thursday – Webster & Co. wrote to Sam they had $12,167.75 on hand with another $7,000 due from agents within the next two weeks [MTP].

February 7 Friday – In Boston, William Dean Howells wrote to Sam of James A. Herne being “immensely pleased with the main points of” the play, The American Claimant (Colonel Sellers as a Scientist).

February 7 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote again to Livy in Philadelphia. She evidently had written suggesting he come to spend Tuesday night (Feb. 10) with her in New York so they might both return to Hartford the next day. He wrote of the two daughters at home, of the weather, and his rheumatism:

February 8 Tuesday – William A. Wood, atty. in Kingston, Mo. wrote to Sam, again pestering him for a copy of IA which Wood claimed had been promised. It would seem this time Sam never opened the letter, and someone later (Paine?) did so [MTP].

February 8 Thursday – Mary A. Riley wrote to Sam, with the news that her late brother, John Henry Riley (d. Sept. 1872) wished Sam to have some opal studs. Her other brother had hoped Clemens would come to Phila. where he might give the studs; could she mail them? [MTP]. Note: she waited 11 years!

February 8 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster, directing him to contact Jimmy Lewis and then Nat Goodwin about producing the new Sellers play [MTHL 2: 469n2]. Sam had reached the end of his patience with Marshall Mallory.

February 8 Sunday – Sam wrote from Indianapolis to Livy. He blamed Cable for his own supposed shortcomings:

It is Cable’s fault that I have done inferior reading all this time. He has hogged so much of the platform-time that I have always felt obliged to hurry along at lightning speed in order to keep the performance within bounds; but now I take my own time, & give 25 minutes to pieces which formerly occupied but 15.

February 8 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote two notes to Charles Webster. The first concerned Jesse Grant’s desire to buy into Webster & Co. Sam valued the firm at a half-million dollars. He would entertain a visit and an offer from Grant “toward the end of February (for Clara will not be out of bed before that.)” The second short note asked what sum had been paid to Julia D. Grant (Mrs. Grant).

February 8 Tuesday – Sam went to New York City, where he stayed from Feb. 8 to 11 at the Victoria Hotel. He took care of business while in the City and spoke at the Stationers Board of Trade dinner on Feb. 10 [MTNJ 3: 278n180].