March 12 Monday – In New York, Sam signed an agreement with William Mackay Laffan, exchanging 1/200th interests in the Paige typesetter and “a certain invention for quadruplexing cablegrams.” Laffan was to raise money for both projects [MTHL 2: 246n4; MTNJ 3: 340n121].
Jesse R. Grant wrote on Webster & Co. notepad to Sam anxious to see him in N.Y. or Hartford [MTP].
March 12 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Annie A. Fields, widow of James T. Fields, in Boston who was involved in a “Boston marriage” with Sarah Orne Jewett. Sam had been invited to a dinner with the two ladies, but did not receive the invitation. Charles Dudley Warner, who was their other guest, told Sam, who sent apologies and explanations:
March 12 Wednesday – In New York Sam wrote to Charles W. Dayton about letters addressed to Mark Twain for an address in New York that did not exist. Sam had cabled the wrong address to Paris and was afraid that many responses would go to the dead letter office [MTP, paraphrase of Am. Art Assoc. catalog, Mar. 13, 1918 Item 77]. Note: Dayton would join Tammany Hall in 1891 and was appointed N.Y. Postmaster in 1893.
March 12 Thursday – In Hartford Sam responded to Hall’s Mar. 11 note confirming that he’d look for him Saturday (Mar. 14) and suggested he stay the night, returning to N.Y. at “7.10 Sunday evening.” Sam believed that in “short interviews we overlook lots of things that ought to be discussed.” By this time some trains ran on Sunday [MTP].
March 13 Saturday – Two copies of A Tramp Abroad were placed with the Copyright Office, Library of Congress [Hirst, “A Note on the Text” Oxford edition, 1996].
March 13 Monday – Sam’s mother, Jane Clemens, and his sister, Pamela Moffett, arrived in Hartford to visit Sam, Livy and the children. They stayed until Apr. 8 [MTHL 1: 393]. Note: MTNJ 2: 457n81 puts the end of the visit at Apr. 7.
March 13 Tuesday – William H. Gillette wrote of expenses with the play The Professor and being unable to repay Sam the $3000, hoping he’d be “a little easy on time payments.” The play was making money, but comedy-farces didn’t play for more than three seasons [MTP].
Jane Lampton Clemens wrote to the Clemens family about attending a fun party the night before. She added a note on the 16th[MTP].
March 13 Thursday – The gathering with Henry Irving, the British actor, and the Warners and others at the Clemens home took place at 2 P.M. It is not known if Laurence Hutton attended, and Twichell’s journal does not mention him. (See Mar. 7 entry.)
March 13 Friday – In Hartford, Sam wrote to Charles Webster about an offer made by the Rose Publishing Co. of Toronto, Canada (see also Dec. 8, 1884 entry). Sam advised Webster not to trust Rose’s word, but to draw a contract or bond that would “tie him fast to it,” such as a forfeit.
March 13 Saturday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam (Mollie added her letter on Mar. 17). He wrote about returning a check and of their mother’s finances, which were adequate. He wrote of Jane’s love of singing and dancing “(not ballet dancing). If there are no minstrels in heaven she will leave.” Mollie began a letter she finished on Mar. 17, mostly of Ma:
March 13 Sunday – In Hartford Livy wrote to Mary Emily Mantz (1863-1940), betrothed of Samuel Moffett, now in San Francisco (they married on Apr. 13, 1887). His mother, Pamela Moffett, had undoubtedly filled in the Clemenses on Samuel’s love life on her recent visit [MTP].
Orion Clemens wrote to Sam, “worried yesterday over the news that a cashier had stolen forty thousand dollars from your firm” [MTP].
March 13 Tuesday – In New York, Sam wrote a letter of introduction for Hattie J. Gerhardt to Franklin G. Whitmore. She was seeking some sort of employment for her husband Karl.
I have no way to employ him about the machine, and in the publishing house he would be of no value without special training for the business [MTP].
March 13 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Augustin Daly, announcing that “the tribe” was about to “march New Yorkwards Friday for a couple of days.” He asked that four tickets (with bill) for Taming of the Shrew might be sent to the Murray Hill Hotel, the current favorite hotel due to its proximity to the rail station. Sam asked that the children might be “within 5 rows of the fiddlery” [MTP].
March 13 Thursday – Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam about Andrew Carnegie’s possible next book being awarded them. Hall had sent a set of Carnegie’s current works express to Sam. Blakely Hall of the N.Y. Sun had been in asking about the typesetter; Hall told him that was separate from the publishing business and referred him to Sam. He also enclosed a promissory note for Sam to sign [MTP].
March 13 Friday – Anna H. Bumstead wrote from Boston to Sam reminding him of his yearly contribution for the Ware children. On the envelope Sam wrote, “$25” [MTP].
March 14 Sunday – Sam wrote from Hartford to an unidentified person about responses to distressed nation appeals.
“…it is only when she [a nation] asks for bread, that creed & party are forgotten & the whole world rises to respond” [MTLE 5: 43].
March 14 Tuesday – Sam typed a note from Hartford to Frank Fuller, about missing him in New York on his recent trip. Their relationship had been rather vacant since the “steam-generator” fiasco of 1877, when Sam lost $5,000. It’s not clear who re-initiated contact. (See also Mar. 23 entry.)
March 14 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam typed a letter to Benjamin H. Ticknor about a telegram he’d sent on the cut he wanted replaced in LM. Put in any sort of picture, even if it didn’t connect with the text and make sure it wasn’t funny, Sam wrote. A landscape would do, Sam thought and:
“…the reader can put in such idle time as he may have in trying to arrive at the connection…” [MTP].
March 14 Friday – Charles Webster arrived in Hartford and conferred on the agreement reached with Marshall Mallory [Mar. 13 & 15 to Howells].
March 14 Saturday – In New York City, Sam autographed a banquet invitation at Delmonico’s to British actor Henry Irving. About this day Sam presented the proofs of volume one of Grant’s Memoirs to the General for his approval [Perry 166]. Note: Sam may have been in New York between this day and Mar. 20, since Perry puts this presentation of proofs as the “third week in March.”
March 14 Sunday – Mollie Clemens finished her Mar. 13 letter to Sam.
Sunday P.M. Ma was quite weak this A.M. Could not come down to breakfast. Seemed afraid we would send for the Dr. But before noon she was better dressed in her velvet and came down to dinner. We were sitting in the parlor reading a half hour ago. She looked up and asked what time we were going home [MTP].
From Susy Clemens’ diary:
March 14 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Charles E. Deuel (1864-1932), a student at Trinity College in Hartford (he would become a pastor in Wyoming, Idaho, Chicago and Santa Barbara, Calif.) Deuel had some project and wished help from Sam.
Won’t you kindly drop in at my house when you have a spare moment, & give me an idea of about what is required of me?…I am not averse from the undertaking, if I find it is within the scope of my pretensions [MTP].
March 14 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook:
March 14 Thursday – Abby Sage Richardson turned down Sam’s Mar. 11 offer [MTNJ 3: 463n192].
R. Dorney for Daly’s Theater wrote to Sam that he’d been directed “to send you 4 front seats for Saturday night next” [MTP]. Dorney used Daly’s same bad pen.
March 14 Friday – Theodore S. Parvin for Grand Lodge of Iowa wrote Sam asking for any of his manuscripts for a museum of Iowa writers. Due to Sam’s early days in Keokuk and Muscatine, Parvin wished to claim Sam as an Iowa writer [MTP].
Author’s Clipping Bureau wrote to Sam soliciting Sam for their service and touting 25 reviews already gathered for CY. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Brer, please decline this service, on his postal card SLC” [MTP].