January 31 Friday – In Hartford Sam answered Howells’ Jan. 28 letter. Since Howells’ visit, Sam had received Burbank’s Jan. 27 inquiry about playing Hank Morgan.
This seems to arrive opportunely. Return it to me & I will send it to Howard Taylor & suggest that he might do worse than put the “Yankee” drama into Burbank’s hands.
January 31 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote a one-liner to Charles Noel Flagg, also in Hartford. Flagg the artist had also written “Talks with my Uncle George,” sent to Richard Watson Gilder of the Century, who had rejected it.
Dear Mr. Flagg: Gilder’s a jackass. Get it nicely type-written, & we’ll ship it to Harper [MTP].
January 4 Tuesday – The Jan. 31 bill from Western Union shows a telegram sent to Elmira on this date, recipient unspecified (see that entry).
January 4 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam inscribed P&P to A.V.S. Anthony: “To / A.V.S. Anthony / With Sentiments of esteem, / appreciation, & tenderness, / from / The Author / Hartford, Jan. 4, 1882” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to James R. Osgood about distribution of P&P to British possessions outside of Canada through McMillan. Sam didn’t care how it was done or how many were sold that way, he simply didn’t want cheaper versions flooding into the U.S. He also saw an opportunity to act in concert with Osgood as agents:
January 4 Thursday – George W. Waters wrote from Elmira: “The sketches reached me safely— / Your suggestion of the ‘burning Ship in mid ocean’ appeals to me at once—because I am charmed by the ocean, and exceedingly fond of Color…Should I be fortunate and produce a picture which would be as ‘painted Music’ to you I should be most happy indeed” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Dank but Keitven [?] / Longfellow’s Calendar / Waters artist”
January 4 Friday – Sam wrote a one-liner from Hartford to James N. Kimball, giving him “liberty to use that chapter about the Empress” [MTP]. Note: Could this have been the Mormon leader? Doubtful. The chapter about the Empress from A Tramp Abroad.
Charles Dudley Warner sent a large printed bill “Copyright” by George P. Lathrop. “How does this strike you?/ C.D.W.” [MTP].
January 4 Sunday – Sam’s wrote from Cincinnati to Livy of the day’s activities:
“I breakfasted with the Halstead family at noon; spent 3 hours in the pottery [the “keramic factory” he referred to in his Jan. 3 letter to Livy]; dined (over) at Mrs. Geo. Ward Nichols’s; spent a most shouting good lovely 3 ½ hours at Pitts Burt’s fireside; & then he brought me home, & I have just now got my clothes off.”
January 4 Monday – Frank B. Darby, Sam’s Elmira dentist, wrote and sent Sam some artwork. He answered Darby’s letter on Jan. 10. Note: Extracts of Darby’s reminiscences of the 1840s to 1895 in Elmira can be found online: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nychenan/raft-rr2.htm and also in some modern reprints of Mildred Cochrane’s A History of the Town of Greene, Chenango County, New York.
January 4 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Charles Webster answering questions about publishing a book by Henry Ward Beecher:
Yes, ½ profits is the right offer to make — his wide reputation entitles him to that — and if anybody wants to offer him more, we withdraw from the competition….If we can’t clear $40,000 for Beecher, at ½-profits, it’ll be the author’s fault, not the publisher’s; that is, it will mean that he isn’t as good a card as we think he is [MTBus 373].
January 4 Wednesday – L.W. Gage wrote a jumbled postcard to Sam asking for his “best book in publication for good sound reading” [MTP].
Webster & Co. Per Arthur H. Wright enclosed three letters to and from Chatto & Windus regarding the forthcoming Library of Humor [MTP].
January 4 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Richard Malcolm Johnston (sometimes reported as simply Malcom Johnston). Sam addressed him as “Colonel” and thanked him for his “good letter” of Jan. 2. Fatout writes,
January 4 Saturday – The Hartford Courant of Jan. 6, p.8 reported in “The Cliff Dwellers”:
January 4 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to James W. Paige, glad that the “machine is again at work.” Sam wrote he was “leaving for a few days,” and hoped by the time he returned Paige would have sold “a large stock of royalties to the Farnham people” [MTP]. Note: William Hamersley was initially involved in the typesetter company early in the 1880s, when it was then called the Farnham machine, still with Paige as inventor [MTB 904]. A dispute arose in July 1890 between Hamersley and Sam over funding of the Paige. See July 11, 1890 entry and MTNJ 3: 599n91 for particulars.
January 5 Wednesday – Sam wrote to James R. Osgood:
My Dear Osgood— / All right—shall expect you Friday.
Would have written you sooner, but one of the children has been lying very close to the grave ever since New Years’ night, & was not declared out of danger till yesterday evening. / Truly Yours, / S.L. Clemens [ABE Books, Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. 6/11/2010]. Note: Clara Clemens was ill for several days, following Susie’s illness. See Jan. 3 to Conway.
January 5 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster after Bliss telephoned asking if he needed to send the check and statement to Webster. Sam confirmed it. He also wrote:
“Hang it, I believe your metallurgical authority says copper can’t be cast in anything but sand. I am sorry, if it is so” [MTP].
Charles Webster wrote: “We cant cast copper or brass in Kaolatype, do you mean for me to make the spelter pattern & then get the copper cast at the foundry?”
Also more on the Paige typesetter [MTP].
January 5 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to an unidentified person:
“If you would be kindly spoken of, die. There is no other way. / But don’t hurry” [MTP].
January 5 Saturday – Charles Webster wrote to Sam on business: he hurried the Sunday Mercury people for information of plays played by an unnamed actor; enclosed check for $1,081.50 royalties from Am. Pub. Co. [MTP].
January 5 Monday – Sam rose at 6 AM and took a train to Louisville, Kentucky (Cardwell says 8:15 AM train [34] ). They stayed at the Galt House. At 4:30 they went to a reception at the Louisville Press Club, and a stop at the Pendennis Club [Cardwell 34].
January 5 Tuesday – H. Harris for Star Lecture Course wrote to Sam asking, “Can I say anything to you that will induce you to make an appearance in Phila this coming season under the auspices of ‘The Star Course’”? Harris had an opening on Feb. 28, “just two years since your last appearance here.” He referred to a performance with George W. Cable.
January 5 Thursday – Charles J. Langdon wrote a note that the Cone Bonds had been received and a check was enclosed, no amount given [MTP].
January 5 Saturday – In Hartford, Sam wrote a long letter of celebration and explanation to Orion Clemens about the Paige typesetter test at Pratt and Whitney Co.
January 5 Sunday – The New York Times, p.11 ran a long description of the life and biography of ex-senator from New York, Roscoe Conkling (1829-1888). Conkling’s biography was published by Webster & Co. Interestingly, Conkling and Sam had both opposed the 1876 candidacy of James G. Blaine.
The Charleston, S.C. Sunday News, p.5 under “New Books” praised CY:
January 5 Monday – Mary L. Craig wrote from Dubois, Penn. to Sam asking permission to write a sketch of Jane Lampton Clemens for an unspecified newspaper. Craig had been employed by Orion to care for Ma for eight months of 1890, “became very much attached to her,” and wrote down several of her “sayings.” Of course, she added, she would only tell the pleasant things she remembered [MTP].
January 6 Thursday – The Jan. 31 bill from Western Union shows a telegram sent to Elmira on this date, recipient unspecified (see that entry). The Feb. 1 bill from Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph Co. shows a telegram sent to Elmira on this date, recipient unspecified (see that entry).
William H. Thompson for Hubbard Bros., book publishers, Phila. wrote to ask Sam to edit some work sent (nearly illegible) [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Genus of the Fireside / Nerve & Impudence” SASE remains unused in file.
January 6 Friday – Tiffany & Co., per Louis C. Tiffany wrote to acknowledge Sam’s $2,000 [MTP].