December 15 Wednesday – At the request of the King of Belgium, Henry M. Stanley sailed from New York to return to the Congo [Brooklyn Eagle, Dec. 15, 1886 p.6 “Stanley’s Farewell”].
In Hartford Sam wrote to William Smith, the English author (see Dec. 14 entry) enclosing the apologetic letter and challenge from publisher E.L. Osgood. If he did not receive the book afterward, Sam asked Smith to let him know,
December 16 Thursday – In Hartford Sam answered Calvin H. Higbie’s Dec. 4 plea for financial help. Sam had dedicated Roughing It to Higbie, his old mining partner and held a soft spot for the trusting, giant of a man. Higbie was in Greenville, Calif. Still, he had to turn him down for a $20,000 loan:
December 17 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Edward H. House, who was still ailing, along with his adopted daughter, Koto House. Sam suggested that House think about writing an adaptation for P&P for the stage, something he was reminded House had spoken of once.
December 18 Saturday – Caroline B. Le Row wrote from Brooklyn, “overwhelmed with gratitude” at Sam’s offer. She did not think it wise to have her name connected with the article which would become “English as She is Taught” while still connected with the Public Board of Education. She referred to her possible book in these letters as “Y.J.” She also was duly warned about Carleton as a publisher — “Let his name be Anathema,” and suggested Cassell & co. Might undertake her book but was open to suggestion.
December 19 Sunday – Orion wrote, related his mistaking ammonia water for cough medicine with the resultant emergency:
My conversation is now almost entirely confined to nods and shakings of the head. The doctor (Jenkins) visits me here 2 ½ times a day and forbids my going out of the house, lest I take cold in my throat. My diet is milk, for which I yearn, but which I approach with dred on account of the pain and difficulty swallowing. Friday evening I was nearly unable to swallow at all.
December 20 Monday – Mollie Clemens wrote to Sam and Livy, including Orion’s of Dec. 19.
December 21 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to an unidentified man:
Just let it stand as it is; it can’t be improved. I haven’t ever seen a paragraph with more truth & less error…[MTP].
December 22 Wednesday – Joe Twichell wrote to Sam enclosing a newspaper clipping from the July 6, 1886 Morning Oregonian, which featured an address given by Thomas Fitch in Portland. Shortly thereafter Sam wrote “It is fine, Joe. Preserve it” on the clipping. [MTP].
December 23 Thursday – Samuel Moffett wrote from Berkeley, Calif. To his Uncle Sam. He announced he would be married in the spring, and sent gifts:
I send some little Christmas things for the children although it is rather late. I have been so busy that it has been impossible to do it before. The shells are for Susy, the Chinese shoes and wooden envelopes for Clara and a little coin of California pictures for Jean [MTP].
December 24 Friday – Edward H. House wrote to Sam:
December 25 Saturday – Christmas – Sam inscribed a copy of Poganuc People, by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1878) to Susy: Susy Clemens / Xmas, 1886. [Note: Gribben p.671 writes this book was listed among volumes belonging to Jean and Clara Clemens, so it may be that all three girls got copies.]
December 26 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Charles P. Green, Beresford House, Malvern, England, who had written Nov. 29 and sent an inscribed book.
The book arrived several days ago, but everybody in the house been so driven, during the past fortnight, with Xmas preparations, that none of us has had a chance to look at it yet [MTP].
December 27 Monday – Bruce W. Munro wrote from Toronto, Canada to Sam: “I beg to have the honor of sending you in about a week’s time a copy of my book “A Blundering Boy.” Munro asked for a brief comment from Sam on the book. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Review his book” [MTP].
December 28 Tuesday – Charles Webster wrote to Sam asking if they might approach Mrs. Custer to publish her book. He also proposed they buy the late General Logan’s book from his widow at a greater royalty than offered the General [MTLTP 211n2].
December 29 Wednesday – Edmund C. Stedman wrote from N.Y. to Sam, a letter of introduction for his friend, a Danish sculptor Mr. Carl Rohl-Smith, from Copenhagen. Stedman wrote that Carl would go to Hartford the next day and hoped the artist would find the Clemenses at home [MTP].
December 30 Thursday – In Hartford Sam answered Webster’s of Dec. 29, approving the suggestion that they raise their offer for the recently deceased General Logan’s book to half the profits, which is as high as they went for any book save Grant’s Memoirs.
December 31 Friday – Frank Fuller wrote from New York touting three stocks, which he clipped and pasted newspaper quotes — Oregon R & N, Oregon S.L.. And Union Pacific [MTP].
Arthur C. Thornton wrote a fan letter to Sam from Richmond, Va. Thornton told of a trip to Washington during last summer and of relating each of Sam’s books to places and events there. Obliquely, Thornton asked for a book. Sam wrote on the envelope, “O, Sorrowful!” [MTP].
Browning Reader – Too Many Books to Publish – Webster’s Neuralgia is a Pain - English as She is Taught – Soul & Entrails – Beecher Advance, Beecher Dead - Embezzler Nabbed – Question the Queen – Another Troublesome Dinner
1887 – Sometime early in the year, Sam agreed to take charge of a Wednesday Browning
reading circle, made up mostly of ladies. They would meet every week in Sam’s billiard room.
(See Mar. 22 to Fairbanks.) Paine writes:
January – Charles Webster began to suffer from neuralgia during the month. (See Sam’s note: Jan. 15 entry). MTHL intro to Section IX refers to Webster’s affliction:
“…and grew worse during the spring. His illness kept him out of the office most of the time after the beginning of summer and almost constant pain made him irritable” [2: 580].
January 1 Saturday – James B. Pond wrote to Sam from the Everett House in N.Y., wishing the Clemens family a happy new year. He asked,
How do you think Grady of Atlanta Constitution would draw ? if he lectured in Hartford. Would you, if you couldn’t help it pay hundred cents to hear him? When are you coming to the village? [MTP]. Note: Henry W. Grady (1850-1889), leader of the “Atlanta Ring.”
January 3 Monday – Charles Webster wrote to Sam that Henry Ward Beecher was contemplating a biography:
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 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 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.
January 9 Sunday – Robert M. Yost wrote from St. Louis to Sam and enclosed Mrs. Yost’s Jan 11 request for a “souvenir” — “Won’t you please send me a scrap of one of your neck ties [?]” Mr. Yost was born in Shelbyville, Mo. and wrote of going back to Hannibal and “shaking hands with the old Florida people who ‘knew Sam Clements,’ as they call you” [MTP].