Clemens Family Relocates to Europe: Day By Day

November 20 Sunday – Elihu Root for the New England Society wrote to Sam, asking him to respond to a toast at the 87th annual dinner held Dec. 22 [MTP].

November 20 Monday – In New York Sam wrote to Joe Twichell. Sam was happy about some “delicious” happening or gift:

It couldn’t have happened to anybody but you. It has done me lots of good and I think it will be better than medicine for Livy, when she gets it on her birthday the 27th. This adventure and the dyed hair of a year and a half ago — well, they make a sparkling pair!

The reference is obscure (that’s what scholars say when they can’t figure out a document).

November 20 Tuesday – In the evening, at 169 rue de l’Université in Paris, Sam suffered another attack of gout in his other ankle [Nov. 21 to Rogers].

November 21 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook carries a lined-out memo:

Tuesday, 21st, dine with Mr. Archer M. Huntington at Sherry’s 8.00 [NB 33 TS 39].

November 21 Wednesday – At 169 rue de l’Université in Paris, Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers, dictating the letter to daughter Clara, who added a “d” to Rogers’ name. Sam related the hard attack of the gout he’d had for a couple of weeks, which kept them at the hotel longer than they’d planned. He’d stayed in bed at the new house since. It seems that all of the Clemens girls inherited their mother’s spelling ability, something Sam teased Livy about during their courting days.

November 22 Sunday – In Berlin Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus.

That Clemens in the last column of names, was an ancestor of mine, & much thought of by the family because he was the first of us that was hanged.

If Tauchnitz comes to see me on business I shall refer him to you [MTP].

November 23 Monday – In Berlin, Sam dictated a letter to Livy for Franklin G. Whitmore. The letter was finished by Sam on Nov. 28. Sam asked Whitmore to pay a bill when presented for the repair of “the old sofa renovating hair &c,” and to forward wedding invitations and the like. Sam advised Whitmore that many of Whitmore’s “letters must have miscarried,” but still hoped to see them now that their address was settled [MTP].

November 23 Thursday – The New York Times, p.1, “Americans in Paris” listed Livy, “Mrs. Clemens, wife of ‘Mark Twain’; the Misses Clemens” among those who came to Paris the previous week.

November 24 Thursday – In Florence Sam wrote to Henry M. Alden of Harper & Brothers. He had sent what he thought was “the most delicious thing that has been offered to a magazine in 30 years,” and would “never get over the astonishment” of Alden’s rejection, simply because Sam did not write it.

November 24 Friday – Sam’s notebook shows a dinner engagement at Robert Underwood Johnson’s at 7 p.m. 327 Lexington Ave [NB 33 TS 39].

November 25 Wednesday – James Logan wrote on Logan, Swift & Brigham Envelope Co. stationery to Sam, explaining that Sam had “punished” his “pocket book.” After buying his “Kid” (about 10 years old) an International Dictionary, he promised money for any word not in it. In Sam’s “Mental Telegraphy” article, the “Kid” came to the word “phrenophone” which was not in the dictionary [MTP].

November 25 Saturday – In New York Sam wrote to an unidentified person that the right to his book (unspecified) belonged to Webster & Co. [MTP: Parke-Bernet catalog, Mar. 10, 1938 item 43].

November 26 Thursday – Thanksgiving. In the evening Sam gave a speech for 250 Americans, location not specified.

But when they threw my portrait on a screen it was a sorrowful reminder, for it was from a negative of 15 years ago & hadn’t a gray hair in it [Nov. 27 to Hall]. Note: Likely in Berlin. No mention was made of the subject of Sam’s speech. Not in Fatout.

November 26 Saturday – A. Bliss wrote from Harrow, England asking for Sam’s autograph [MTP].

November 26 Sunday – In New York, Sam attended his dinner invitation with Henry Irving at Delmonico’s. Fatout reports this as a dinner speech [MT Speaking 660]. Sam accepted the invitation behind the stage at Abbey’s Theatre on Nov. 17.

Sam inscribed a copy of P&P to Edy (no further name given): To Edy from Mark Twain with his best wishes and kindest regards. New York, Nov. 26, ’93. [MTP].

November 27 Friday – Livy’s 46th birthday.

November 27 Sunday – Livy’s 47th birthday. Sam wrote her a three-stanza poem titled, “The Earth Invoketh the Sun” [MTP].

November 27 Monday– Livy’s 48th birthday. Strictly speaking, the gathering with John Mackay (above) which lasted until 1:30 a.m., went into this day.

November 27 Tuesday – Livy’s 49th birthday.

November 28 Saturday – In Berlin Sam finished his Nov. 23 letter to Franklin G. Whitmore, explaining he’d been “interrupted for a week.” In the meantime his arm was much better. He asked Whitmore to send a photograph of Mark Twain to H.J. McGivern, Secretary of the M.T.R.&G. Club, in care of the Mark Twain Hotel, Wheeling W.Va. If Whitmore had no photographs of Sam, order a half-dozen from Sarony. Sam sent Thanksgiving greetings [MTP].

November 28–December 1 Thursday – In Florence Sam wrote to George H. Warner.

November 28 Tuesday – In New York Sam wrote to Livy about John Mackay’s letter he thought he’d sent (inviting Sam to talk to her over Mackay’s cable); the gathering of Mackay and a dozen guests Sam joined at the late hour on Nov. 26 into Nov. 27; the book and inscription Sam gave him; going to Mackay’s office at noon the day before (Nov. 27) [LLMT 279-80]. Note: this is the second letter ascribed to Nov.

November 28 Wednesday – At 169 rue de l’Université in Paris, Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers. He was out of bed finally, not sure how long he’d been there:

…the fog is thick, the daylight is black, & I feel defeated & in a state of surrender to fate.

November 29 Sunday – David W. Young wrote from New London, Mo. reporting his life afer the war and how poor he’s been since; if he could get “5 or 6 acres of land” — would Sam help? [MTP].

November 29 Wednesday – In New York Sam wrote Orion and Mollie Clemens, enclosing the NY Times Nov. 12 article about the Lotos Club dinner, and using one of his famous lined-out words to convey his true feelings, but bowing to self-censorship:

Dear Orion & Molly: I meant to send you this, at the time; I don’t know how I forgot it. Probably for the same reason that I forgot to send any to Livy till it was ancient history.