Home at Hartford: Day By Day

March 22 Thursday – They arrived back in Hartford in the evening. Charles Dudley Warner “dropped in” after they arrived home and suggested that George W. Cable give the same reading in Hartford he successfully gave in Baltimore, instead of the planned lecture on “Creole Women.” Sam felt it would be “safer” to give a reading that had proven successful elsewhere [Mar. 23 to Cable, MTP].

March 22 Saturday – Sam purchased a 4-volume set of William Cullen Bryant and Sydney Howard Gay’s A Popular History of the United States (1876-81) [Gribben 108].

Nicholas Wolff wrote from NYC for autograph and brief sketch of Sam’s life [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Good lord! Impudent auto hunter”

March 22 Sunday – Sam probably returned to Hartford as planned (see Mar. 16 to Pond) but there is no documentation. However, since Sam and Livy traveled to Boston on Mar. 23, this is the last date Sam could have returned home.

March 22 Monday – Sam presented a paper titled “Knights of Labor — The New Dynasty” to the Monday Evening Club. This was Sam’s tenth presentation to the Club since his election in 1873 [Monday Evening Club]. See Budd, Collected p.883-90. Also listed in Camfield, isterin. It wasn’t published until 1957, edited by Bernard DeVoto, in the New England Quarterly, XXX p.383-88.

March 22 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Mary Mason Fairbanks, now in London, England. Sam’s was an obvious response to her (not extant) letter. He mentioned problems about Mary’s daughter Alice living anywhere but Cleveland and possible separation or divorce, no doubt heavy concerns for Mary.

It is a most pitiable case; hard for you, & hard for Alice too. But don’t you see? — Alice cannot go anywhere but Cleveland to live

March 22 Thursday – In Washington D.C., Sam wrote Frances F. Cleveland (Mrs. Grover Cleveland). Sam didn’t know the proper protocol about leaving cards when calling. He offered “homage” to the President and “sincere appreciation” for Mrs. Cleveland’s hospitality [MTP].

Sam’s notebook lists a “Miss Clymer, Thursday, 4 p.m.” and also a dinner with Secretary of the Navy, William Collins Whitney (1841-1904).

March 22 Friday – Richard W. Gilder for Century Magazine wrote to Sam: “Our next Fellowcraft dinner is Wednesday, April 10th? I am after you again…” Sam noted, “Tell him I can’t” on the env. [MTP].

March 22 Saturday – † In Hartford on or just after this date Sam wrote on Whitford’s Mar. 21 envelope to Franklin G. Whitmore:

Brer, tell him all right for a very little while — then I shall probably want to sue Frohman [MTP].

March 22 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Annie B. Jennings accepting provisionally her invitation to read for the New York YWCA. His conditions were that the date be Apr. 23, that he be third on the reading list if there were four or five readers, no later than fourth if there were more than five. See Apr. 22 entry when Sam gave the reading.

March 23 Tuesday – Orion Clemens wrote to Sam, clipping enclosed from the Keokuk Gate City from Mar. 23 about a gold strike in Silver Cliff, Colo.

March 23 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to the American Publishing Co., asking that his “several books” be sent to “Joseph T. Goodman, Fresno City, Cal.” [MTP].

March 23 Thursday – Clara Spaulding arrived at the Clemens home after a trip through the South [MTNJ 2: 458n85].

Frank Fuller wrote to Sam somewhat apologetic for his loss in the “steam-generator” speculation of 1877. He encouraged Sam to buy shares in the Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad [460].

March 23 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Webster, enclosing a letter of interest in the Paige typesetter.

“So I thought that if you and [William] Payton should run up here together and examine the machine, it would help these people to remember the terms upon which they can be applied to those New York men for capital” [MTBus 212].

March 23 Sunday – Edgar W. Howe wrote to ask Sam for the addresses of “a dozen or more of the principal book writers” whom Sam esteemed, including Cable, Eggleston, Howells, etc.” [MTP].

March 23 Monday – Sam and Livy went to Boston for a short visit with the Howellses [MTHL 2: 522-3]. Sam and Howells joined in the fun at the Tavern Club.

March 23 Tuesday – Sam went New York for a meeting Charles Webster and Jesse Grant at the Normandie Hotel the next morning [Mar. 19 to Webster, MTP; N.Y. Times, Mar. 24 p.2 “Personal Intelligence”]. Other business and/or pleasure was on his docket, as he spent three days in the City. This trip may be the occasion which Susy referred to in her unfinished biography of her father.

March 23 Wednesday –

Check #  Payee  Amount  [Notes]

3628  Mr. F.R. Pierson  23.48

3629  Mssrs Aitkin Son & Co  28.00  Machinist

March 23 Friday – In Washington, Sam gave a speech on international copyright before the House Judiciary Committee. [Washington Post Mar. 24, 1888, p.4, “The Copyright Hearing” paraphrased the speech.]

The New York World ran an “interview” on page 4, “The Insolence of Office”:

March 23 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Hamlin Garland (1860-1940), American poet, novelist and short story writer, best known for his portrayals of Midwestern farmers. Sam did not have the time to give “the subject” Garland spoke of in his Mar. 21 letter “the proper thought so as to venture the least advice.” Sam hoped “in the near future we may run across each other; and talk the matter over” [MTP].

March 23 Monday – Sam’s notebook carries his travel schedule to and from Bryn Mawr, where he appeared on this afternoon:

Lev N.Y. at 11, arr 1.20 / SHAVE / Leave Phil. 8.20, arr. 10.40 [3: 611].

March 24 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Howells, thanking him for his complementary letter of Mar. 22. Howells’ letter and Sam’s response:

March 24 Thursday – William Bryan, Jr., proprietor wrote from Branford, Conn. with details on rooms at the Montowese House [MTP].

March 24 Friday – The death of Henry W. Longfellow saddened New Englanders. He died at the age of 75 of peritonitis [MTHL 1: 398]. Note: His death particularly affected William Dean Howells, who wrote his father that he called to check on Longfellow’s health almost at the exact moment of death [Goodman and Dawson 216].

March 24 Monday – T.F. Plunkett wrote to Clemens: “You didn’t invite me to your Irving lunch, but I forgive you and would like you to meet Mr & Mrs Florence here 11 pm Thursday, charm & oysters” [MTP].

March 24 Tuesday – The Howellses put on a tea for Livy Clemens. In his Mar. 19 letter moving up the date for the Tavern Club gathering with Sam, Howells wrote:

Mrs. Clemens must not think we are putting up much of a party on her. It will be short and sharp, and she will feel better when it is over. Don’t let her be tired by apprehension of it. We are joyous to think of seeing you both [MTHL 2: 523-4].