Life in Exile: Day By Day

September 15 Saturday – The Clemens family was on a weekend jaunt to visit “some English friends” in Cromer, Norfolk, on the coast [Sept. 14 to Pond; Sept. 25 to Fiske].

September 16 Thursday – Sam wrote an aphorism (from chapter 6 of PW) in the Guest Book of the Villa Bühlegg: “Please do not forget this important truth: Habit is habit—& not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed down-stair a step at a time. / Truly yours / Mark Twain / Villa Bühlegg, Sep 16, 1897” [Locher 20].

September 16 Saturday – Sam inscribed a card later sold in a copy of HF to an unidentified person:

“Truly Yours, Mark Twain, Sanna, Sweden, Sept. 16, 99” [MTP: Swann Galleries catalogs, 30 Sept. 1948, Item 313].

September 16 Sunday – The Clemens family was on a weekend jaunt to visit “some English friends” in Cromer, Norfolk, on the coast [Sept. 14 to Pond; Sept. 25 to Fiske]. Note: friends unspecified.

Dorothy T. Stanley wrote to thank Sam for the gift of FE. She told of Mr. Stanley working on the place and sent her regards to Livy and the girls; she hoped they would see them before he left for America, and if he could prevent the election of William Jennings Bryan, perhaps he should go [MTP].

September 17 Thursday – London. In his Sept. 14to Whitmore, Sam disclosed he’d just written the Authors Club to withdraw his membership. A note dated Sept. 17 to the club secretary to withdraw “for economical reasons” is in the MTP, so it may be that this was put off a few days [MTP].

September 17 Friday – In Weggis, Switzerland Sam replied to Samuel Rutherford Crockett’s Aug.

Sam noted that Crockett sending his letter to N.Y. “wasted a good deal of time,” which explains why it took him so long to reply.

I know Cleg, & am fond of him, & am ready to welcome him again, & Napoleon, too, when he gets on his uniform. Ten days hence I shall have an address in Vienna for the winter….

September 17 Saturday – Sam went to the Hotel Krantz, where he watched the funeral procession of the slain Empress Elisabeth. He later wrote “The Memorable Assassination,” not published until 1917 in What Is Man? and Other Stories by Harper & Brothers. From that piece:

September 17 Sunday – In Sanna, Sweden, Livy wrote to Chatto & Windus, asking they send her at their “earliest convenience” a copy of JA [MTP].

September 17 Monday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to Frederick J. Hall, with Livy adding a line or two and signature. They expressed the “perfect visit” of Hall. Sam recounted an anecdote he read the night before in Domestic Annals of Scotland:

September 18 Saturday – In Weggis, Switzerland Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers:

The Swiss vacation is ended & I am packing the trunks for Vienna. That is, I am superintending. …I leave all places with regret, & if there is ever to be an exception, this is not the one. We shall reach Salzburg next Wednesday 22d—no, a day or two later—& remain a week. We reach Vienna about Oct.1. Our address there for a few days will be c/o Thos. Cook & Son, while we hunt up a house to live in.

September 18 Monday – In Sanna, Sweden Sam wrote to Mai Rogers Coe, now in London at the Carlton Hotel.

It was a great pleasure to get your note [not extant] this morning & know that you were again within reaching distance of us. Also that you have found Harry & have got him under control. I hope you are not intending to sail before we reach London—which will be the afternoon or evening of Sept. 30. …

September 18 Tuesday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to Frank Bliss, reminding he had not received his July statement and asking it be sent to H.H. Rogers. Sam wrote they would reach New York about Oct. 16 (they arrived on Oct. 15).

September – The second and last installment of the 23,400 word Tom Sawyer, Detective ran the Sept. issue of Harper’s Magazine. 21 illustrations were included by A.B. Frost. It would be included by Harper’s in book form, together with the 34,000 word Tom Sawyer Abroad in November, 1896. The latter had first appeared in book form in 1894 by Webster & Co., after being serialized in St. Nicholas Magazine.

September – In Weggis, Switzerland Sam wrote to Clara A. Nichols (his NB gives her address as 219 King’s Road Cheasea SW London )with a note to Chatto & Windus . He asked her to “complete the address at the bottom of this page, & mail THE PAGE to Messrs. Chatto & Windus,” adding at the bottom, “— quick”. The note to C&W directed them to put the page on one of the front fly leaves [MTP].

September – Pall Mall Magazine issue for Sept. ran “The Real Mark Twain,” p. 28-36 by Carlyle G. Smythe, Sam’s “down under” tour manager and companion in London prior to Susy’s death [Gribben 464]. Review of Reviews (London) for this month summarized Smythe’s article and quotes passages on “His Literary Tastes” [Tenney 27].

September – Sam’s article, “Concerning the Jews” first ran in the Sept. issue of Harper’s . It was collected in The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories (1900) and How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays (1903); a postscript was added to the essay in the English edition of the former as well as later American editions beginning in 1902. See Sept. 15 to Simon Wolf, with notes.

September 19 Sunday – In Weggis, Switzerland Sam wrote to Robert Barr, editor of The Idler:

September 19 Monday – In Kaltenleutgeben, Austria, Sam wrote to John Brisben Walker, owner of Cosmopolitan.

Sure it’s the illegant conscience you’ve got, & few there be that can afford such an expensive one. Yes, the second cheque astonished—& gratified—me. I didn’t know what it was for; I merely uttered my little prayer of humble thanks & went & cashed it. Many would have thought God sent it; but I knew by the signature it was you.

September 19 Tuesday – In Sanna, Sweden Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus, asking them to “send no more postal matter after Sept. 24th / Nor the ‘Chronicle’—it can go to the Queen Anne Mansions” [MTP]. Note: postcard postmarked this date, possibly written earlier.

September 19 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Moberly Bell & wife. Tea & dinner” [NB 43 TS 25].

At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam replied to John Y. MacAlister on several items. Though he would like to write for “Lloyd’s Christmas number,” his contracts debarred him from doing so. He expected the MacAlisters to come to them for a last visit, either “some evening, or eat with us in the hotel when we move to London”; Sam would “leave the particulars” to Livy.

September – Review of Reviews (London) anonymously reviewed The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, p.398. Mostly extracts [Tenney 32].

J.E. Hodder Williams’ article, “Mark Twain” ran in Bookman (London) p.169-74. Tenney: “A very general sketch of MT’s life and works, providing no new information and very little critical comment.”

September 2 Wednesday – Livy, Clara Clemens, and Katy Leary sailed for Southampton, England on the liner St. Louis [N.Y. Times Aug. 11, 1896 p.11, “Marine Intelligence”; Sept. 9 to Rogers; MFMT 177].

September 2 Friday – In Kaltenleutgeben, Austria, Sam wrote to Edward Bok, editor of the Ladies’ Home Journal, suggesting “My Platonic Sweetheart” as suitable “for a periodical whose specialty is the fireside, the home.” It was longer than Bok had wanted and Sam’s price was $1,000, but Sam was mailing it that day—if Bok didn’t want it would he please mail it to H.H. Rogers.

September 2 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Short Story: American Children playing at royalty” [NB 43 TS 25].

At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam inscribed a copy of The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories and Sketches to Andrew Chatto: “To Mr. Chatto / with the kindest regards of / The Author / London, Sept. 2, 1900” [MTP].

September 20 Sunday – In London Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers. The Clemenses were still house-hunting.