March 29 Friday – In Hartford, Sam and each member of the family including the youngest, Jean Clemens, inscribed an album to their German governess, Marie Koerner, who was leaving their employ. Sam wrote:
You leave a great many behind you, here, Marie, who will always rejoice to know you prosper & sorrow to know the world does not go well with you; & of these I am one. S.L. Clemens. Hartford, Mch 29/89. [MTP].
March 29 Saturday – Valentina V. Whiting, a “little girl” in New York wrote to Sam for his autograph [MTP].
Lucia B. Griffin, , “The Celebrated Impersonator,” etc., wrote asking permission to use Sam’s “telephone” sketch and “a few of your funny pieces in a small book of recitations I am getting out for school rooms…” She mentioned having met Orion and Sam’s mother in Keokuk. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Brer, please tell her I can’t speak for my publishers, but I myself have no objections. I will sign. / SLC” [MTP].Note: Lucia B. Griffin’s Catchy Cullings, etc. (1890)
March 29 Sunday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Andrew Chatto, enclosing a letter from Bram Stoker. Stoker had just become a director of a new company, Heinemann and Bolectier, Ltd., which was formed to publish books in English for Europe. Sam forwarded Stoker’s letter with this note:
Do you know my friend Bram Stoker, [Henry] Irving’s manager?
March 3 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Frank Bliss about particulars in the publishing of A Tramp Abroad [MTLE 5: 31].
March 3 Thursday – Sam wrote from Hartford to A.V.S. Anthony (1835-1906), Osgood’s design director who was also an engraver.
“I don’t know what the size of the new work [P&P] will be. I suggest that it be the size & shape of ‘Sketches, Old & New’—I think Osgood approves” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Howells.
March 3 Friday – Sam was still typing letters. He typed one from Hartford to Andrew Chatto thanking him for requested English reviews of P&P. “They are surprisingly complimentary” [MTNJ 2: 449n41].
Sam also wrote a short note to John W. Sanborn, probably answering his Feb. 18 letter:
March 3 Saturday – The New York Times under “PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE” p.5 reported:
Samuel L. Clemens, of Hartford, and James R. Osgood, of Boston, are at the Victoria House
The Brooklyn Eagle, on page 7 under “EVENTS IN BROOKLYN” / Summary of the Week’s Local News
The trial of Captain C.C. Duncan’s suit for $100,000 against the New York Times was begun in the Supreme Court.
March 3 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Andrew Chatto, enclosing the Feb. 14 from William L. Hughes, translator.
“Here’s another of those fellows. I’ve told him you have full authority and will answer him. Please do. I’m keeping Huck Finn back till next fall. I found I couldn’t publish it in the spring, there wasn’t time enough left for a long enough canvass” [MTP].
From Twichell’s journal:
March 3 Tuesday – The New York Times printed a small announcement paragraph on page 5:
Messrs. Charles L. Webster & Co, publishers of this city, have been engaged by Gen. Grant to publish his forthcoming book entitled “Personal Reminiscences.” The book is in two volumes of about 500 pages each, and is to be sold only by subscription. The manuscript of the first volume is ready for the press and will be issued soon. Gen. Grant is engaged every day upon the second volume, which is well advanced toward completion.
March 3 Wednesday – In New York Karl Gerhardt wrote to Sam about costs of the bronze Nathan Hale and pedestal and extras. He paraphrased James B. Pond as saying copies of the Beecher bust would sell for $1,000 each [MTP]. Lawrence Barrett arrived in Hartford to perform in a play and visited Sam during the day (see Feb. 27 entry).
March 3 Thursday –
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
3611 Wm D Kelly 2.62
March 3 Saturday – Charles J. Langdon wrote to Sam: “At last the man Jackway has paid the mortgage for which you signed satisfaction some time ago.” Enclosed a draft for $2,090.33. Katy Leary’s sister died on Mar. 2; Katy arrived this morning [MTP]. Note: this was the mortgage Livy held on an Elmira property.
March 3 Sunday – Frank Fuller wrote to Sam’s recent note (now lost, but referred to in notebook entry) announcing he would stop by on his next trip to New York. Fuller wrote, “All right, old boy! Come on, next time or the time after, only come, & no indefinite postponements.” Fuller invited Sam to opening night of a Charles Barnard comedy, The County Fair on Mar. 5.
March 3 Monday – Matthias H. Arnot wrote to Sam: “Yours dated Feb. 28th recvd this morning on my arrival home from New York.” Arnot had been “intensely busy” so had not written. He was pleased to hear the typesetter was exceeding expectations, and though it was difficult for him to leave Elmira, he would try to be in Hartford at the same time Senator Jones was; but if not, he would “endeavor to come later for a day” [MTP].
March 3 Tuesday – In Boston William Dean Howells typed a letter on a Hammond machine to Sam:
March 30 Tuesday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.
“Thanks for your Club Contribution. It’s good, and powerfully true but you wont be allowed to get your adverbs wrong in this magazine. John is reading Tom Sawyer, and [illegible].” Note: see MS notes in source. [MTHL 2: 880, 890].
Edson Q. Beebe wrote from Montrose, Penn. to ask Sam his opinion of boys [MTP].
March 30 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood thanking him for books sent and requesting another. About Jesse Leathers’ manuscript:
March 30 Thursday – Sam wrote to Christian Tauchnitz, letter not extant but referred to in Tauchnitz, Jr.’s reply of Apr. 15.
March 30 Friday – Sam’s letter to the editor ran on page two of the Hartford Courant under the headline “George W. Cable”:
Of the evening of the fourth of April the gifted southerner whose name appears above, will deliver at Unity Hall, in Hartford, a lecture upon “Creole Women,” sauced with illustrative readings from “The Grandissimes” and other of his books [Courant.com].
March 30 Sunday – Daniel C. French wrote to Clemens [MTP]. April fool request for autograph
Dr. John S. Billings wrote from Wash DC to ask for auto & photo Clemens [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Dr. Billings .Apl fool”
Francis D. Millet wrote to Clemens [MTP]. April fool request for auto
March 30 Tuesday – In the evening Sam attended the Asylum Hill Congregational Church benefit for Joe Twichell, which included the sale of pews. Sam’s pew was also for sale at $150. See Mar. 25 from Hubbard.
General Wesley Merritt for West Point wrote to Sam:
March 30 Wednesday – Sam either went to Boston as planned in his Mar. 17 to Fields, or left early the next morning. An entry in his notebook implies he wanted to take Susy, but as his Apr. 1 to Annie Fields shows, she was too ill to go.
March 30 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to his nephew, Samuel Moffett in San Francisco. He had misread a letter from Moffett, thinking that Moffett was coming to find a job on a newspaper in New York. Sam thus wrote a paragraph and then crossed it out when he realized it was “McDowell” who was coming. Sam revealed his knowledge of several men who Moffett evidently had asked of:
March 30 Saturday – At supper party for Edwin Booth, held at Delmonico’s in New York, Sam gave a speech called “The Long Clam.” The New York Times, p.4 reported the event on Apr. 1. Many of Sam’s friends, associates and acquaintances attended.
THE BOOTH SUPPER
March 30 Sunday – Jessie Burgoyne wrote from N.Y. to ask Sam where she might find his “Yawning Story” and “Sarah Walker.” Sam wrote on the env., “Brer please tell her I didn’t write either of them. I will sign. SLC” [MTP].
Addie M. Cooke wrote from Windsor, Conn. asking Sam if he knew someone who could “compose recitations on any subject.” Whitmore wrote at the top of the note that Mr. C. did not know anyone “who undertakes that species of work. FGW for SLC” [MTP].