January 6 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Osgood & Co., with directions for sets of plates, dies and printed copies of LM. Sam was anxious for success:
“We must sell 100,000 copies of the book in 12 months, and shan’t want him complaining that we are the parties in fault if the sale falls short of it.”
Sam also relied heavily on Livy’s editorial and censorship eye:
January 6 Tuesday – Sam and Cable gave a second reading at Leiderkranz Hall, Louisville, Kentucky. From the Louisville Courier-Journal:
Despite the rain there was a large audience at Leiderkranz Hall last night to hear Cable and Mark Twain read. Mr. Cable last year prepared for himself a welcome to Louisville, and the people were ready with a hearty greeting for Mr. Clemens.
January 6 Wednesday – Witness to the worldwide notoriety and love for Mark Twain is this article printed in the North Otago Times in New Zealand:
MARK TWAIN
January 6 Friday – The Players Club was founded at 1.P.M. in the Red Room at Delmonico’s, New York City. Fatout writes that Sam gave a speech, but this was more of adding comments to the others, all speaking informally from their chairs after the lunch.
January 6 Sunday – Mollie Clemens wrote to Sam and Livy: “You have known Ma in her happiest days tis well you can remember her thus. Now she is eighty-five and half years old and demented.” Mollie asked if they’d “authorize Orion to take enough of Ma’s money that is invested here, to put in a bath room and water closet on Ma’s bed room floor”; more talk of the house they would buy [MTP]
January 6 Monday – George W. Cable wrote to Sam from Northampton, Mass.
I have asked my publishers…to send you a copy of my Strange True Stories of Louisiana [Gribben 124]. Note: Strange True Stories of Louisiana by Cable was published in 1889.
January 6 Tuesday – James W. Paige wrote from Hartford to Sam:
Your letter of the 4th inst. receivecd. – In reply I must again remind you that I have repeatedly told you that I could not sell or assist you to sell any of the royalties now held by you for the type setting machine until you shall have been authorized, by letter from Mr. Jones… [MTP].
January 7 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to his mother, Jane Clemens, who had not been well. This was a serious, comforting letter. He wrote that Livy had “been running down & getting weak, in consequence of overwork in re-arranging the house.” Sam planned to take Livy to Elmira to let Livy’s mother nurse her back to health.
January 7 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to George W. Bagby the famous Southern humorist, who had written on Dec. 20 with some sort of invitation. Sam was too busy to accept.
“They say that time is money; it must be so, seeing it is so difficult to get, in any sufficient quantity” [MTP].
January 7 Saturday – Sam wrote a short note from Hartford to James R. Osgood about some “Toronto pirates’ lawyers,” a reference which is obscure at this point. Late in the year Belford and Clarke were defendants in a lawsuit. Sam also referred to his “little assault of a rather venomous nature upon Whitelaw Reid,” and suggested Osgood “drop in and consult the judacity of it” if he were to “pass through” Hartford [MTLTP 151].
January 7 Monday – Livy sent out invitations from her and Sam to John Day and Alice Hooker Day, requesting the pleasure of their: “…company to meet Mr. & Mrs. T.B. Aldrich on Wednesday evening, Jan 9th at 8 o’clock” [MTP].
Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells. His son, John Howells, had a touch of scarlet fever.
January 7 Wednesday – Sam wrote to Livy on the train from Louisville, Ky. to Indianapolis, Ind, relating the dinner of the last evening at the Pendennis Club. Sam remarked on the differences of a Southern audience:
January 7 Thursday – William D. Howells wrote Sam a postcard, confirming he and his daughter would leave Boston at 3 p.m. Jan. 13 and reach the Clemens’ house at 7 [MTHL 2:550].
January 7 Friday – Alexander Cargill wrote from N.Y. to Sam. Cargill wanted to send a MS. Sam wrote on the envelope, “From a Mr. Cargill who wants to publish a novel” [MTP].
William Mackay Laffan for NY Sun wrote to Sam enclosing a letter from E.R. Garczyuski of Brooklyn to Sun dated Nov. 12, 1886, which pointed out a “blunder” in Sam’s talk about King Arthur. Laffan wrote on the opposite blank side of this letter:
January 7 Saturday – Sam was still in New York part of the day. He went to the Webster office and found “only Hall there” [Jan. 8 to Chatto]. He directed Hall to send casts of the illustrations for Library of Humor to Chatto & Windus, and to send “advance sheets” when they were available. He then returned to Hartford.
From Sam’s notebook: 12860.48 Jan 7 [MTNJ 3: 362].
January 7 Monday – From Sam’s notebook, more about the typesetter:
Monday, Jan. 7 — 4.45 p.m. The first proper name ever set by this new key-board was William Shakspeare. I set it, at the above hour; & I perceive, now that I see the name written, that I either mis-spelled it then or I’ve mis-spelled it now [MTNJ 3: 443].
January 7 Tuesday – A.E. Pattison for Pope Mfg. wrote to Sam asking where he might buy a “paper covered collection of short sketches” of Sam’s which included his “Bermuda paper,” by Slote, he thought. (“Some Rambling Notes of an Idle Excursion”) [MTP].
The Manchester Guardian, p.6 in “Books of the Week” wrote:
We owe sincere and large thanks to “Mark Twain” for writing and publishing this book [Budd, Contemporary 299]. Note: CY.
January 7 Wednesday – Charles W. Joundham sent a photograph of Sam he wished autographed and returned [MTP].
Mrs. M.E. Keyes wrote to Sam in need of $500 — another begging letter [MTP].
January 8 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells.
January 8 Saturday – Clara Clemens developed symptoms of pneumonia; the doctor was called [MTBus 149].
January 8 Sunday – Sam was visited by John Russell Young, who evidently discussed events relating to Sam’s newly planned Mississippi trip and book [Jan. 9 letter to Young, MTP].
The Lotos Club, New York, receipted Sam $6.25 for dues [MTP].
January 8 Monday – A short article ran in the New York Times on Jan. 9 about Sam losing a Chicago lawsuit (Circuit Court, N.D. Illinois) on this day, based on trademark infringement. Sam was represented by Thomas W. Clark, while Belford & Clarke by Hutchinson & Partridge.
MARK TWAIN LOSES A SUIT.
January 8 Thursday – Sam wrote en route from Indianapolis to Springfield, Ill. to Livy:
January 8 Friday – Richard Watson Gilder for Century Magazine wrote to Sam enclosing two letters objecting to Sam’s recent Century contributions. Gilder challenged Sam:
January 8 Saturday – Caroline B. Le Row wrote from Brooklyn having sent by Westcott’s Express the “specimen pages” from her book to Sam for review.