Life in Exile: Day By Day

August 5 Thursday – James Hammond Trumbull (1821-1897) died. Trumbull, with whom Sam enjoyed a personal as well as a professional relationship, was the contributor of the multi-lingual headings in GA, as well as a scholar and Hartford historian, whose work on the philology and history of Native Americans made his reputation. See indexed entries, Vol. I&II, MTDBD on Trumbull. Sam wrote a tribute to the man sometime during the family’s stay in Weggis. The article ran in the Hartford Courant on Nov.

August 5 Friday – In Kaltenleutgeben, Austria, Sam wrote a sappy poem to Charles J. Langdon, whom he addressed as “Dear Cholley” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Mrs. Kate S. Littlewood (Mrs. Walter Littlewood); (d.1927) in Liverpool [MTP].

Oh yes indeed, your young wards can freely have any book of mine they want—the whole set if they like.

I enclose an order.

August 5 Sunday – In his Aug. 12 letter to Joe Twichell, Sam revealed a visit “a week ago” for tea by Daniel Willard Fiske, Brander Matthews, and Mr. and Mrs. Dean Sage, the latter visiting from Buffalo, N.Y. Katy Leary recalled a visit by the Matthews family at Dollis Hill [Lawton 191].

T. Douglas Murray wrote to Sam. His wife had found the “lecture MS” in a box and he had had a “good clear copy of your original made …which please accept from me” [MTP].

August 6 Friday – In Weggis, Switzerland Sam replied to H.H. Rogers’ July 23 (not extant), discussing plans for the deluxe edition of his uniform works, including a letter Samuel McClure had sent “a couple of days ago…from London.” McClure’s letter included a copy of Frank N.

August 6 Sunday – Elizabeth Robins wrote from Vulpera Switzerland to Sam. “Your beautiful letter reached me last night and it has made me very happy. I have been proud for so long to sit at your feet, that to have you …speak such words is enough” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “From Miss Robbins, author of ‘An Open Question.’ Keep it. SLC”

August 6 Monday – Sam’s notebook entry contains author, title, and publisher of: Pre-Historic America. by Jean Francois Albert du Pouget Nadaillac (1818-1904), Putnam (1884) [Gribben 497; NB 43 TS 23].

August 7 Saturday – In Lucerne, Switzerland Sam replied to Samuel S. McClure’s July 28 (not extant). Evidently McClure had sought an interview or contribution from Mark Twain, but Sam replied there were “business reasons why it will be best for Barr to do the thing without corresponding with me.” After his signature, he added:

August 7 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Aug. 7 ’98. I think a few monarchs have died here & there during the past year, I do not now remember. It made a great silence. Bismarck has been dead five or six days, now, but the reverberations from that mighty fall still go quaking & thundering around the planet” [NB 40 TS 28].

August 7 Monday – In Sanna, Sweden Sam wrote an aphorism to E.S. (not further identified):“Nearly all of us have Music & Truth in us, but the most of us can’t get it out” [MTP].

August 7 Tuesday – Ernest Hendrie (1859-1929), English actor and playwright, wrote from London to Sam. “I have had an interview with Mr. Bigelow concerning Hadleyburg, of which he has doubtless apprised you.” Much of the note is on the edge of illegible [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “Hendrie. Terms for Hadleyburg. Aug. /00”. See NB entry Aug. 9.

August 8 Wednesday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to William Archer, praising his new book America To-day, Observations and Reflections.

August 9 Monday – In Weggis, Switzerland Sam wrote to Andrew Chatto: “These latter batches of sheets are divine—it is no vexation to read them.” He added that he forgot what his PS was, and asked for a “cheap ‘P’dn. Wilson. Unbound; just the sheets” [MTP].

August 9 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Army & Navy—drainage—cigars. / Letter from Hendrie stating terms agreed upon by him & Poultney Bigelow. H. to dramatise Hadleyburg & take 2/3 of the profits” [NB 43 TS 23]. Note: see incoming from Ernest Hendrie, Aug. 7.

Chatto & Windus’ Jan. 1, 1904 statement to Clemens shows 1,000 2s.0d. copies of CY were printed, or a total printed to date of 14,000 [1904 Financials file MTP].

August 31 Thursday

Autumn – Sam wrote a piece titled, “A Simplified Alphabet” in response to the simplified spelling movement in the United States. It began:

The Human is a Fool, Hypocrite & Humbug – Contract at Last
London: “Chartless, Adrift Derelicts”– Victoria’s Jubilee – Orion Dies
N.Y. Herald Fund – Twain’s Death an Exaggeration – Peaceful Weggis & Writing Vienna &
“Leschy” for Clara – Stirring Times in Austria – FE Published

1897 – Sam recorded he was paid $11,398.65 this year by the American Publishing Co and
noted “Equator” by the entry. He estimated the Co. “cleared say $3,000” [NB 46 TS 17].

Leschy’s Salon – Stirring Times in Austria – Rampant Anti-Semitism & Zola – Debt Free! Honor Be Unto Mark Twain! – Sczepanik, Edison of Austria – Translating Plays Ossip Stuns Clara – War with Spain – Kaltenleutgeben - Summer Jaunt to Ischyl, Hallstatt & Heat – Elegy to Susy - Rogers Won’t Bite on Inventions, Makes Stock Gains – Clemenses Wealthy Again -  A Torrent of Magazine Articles – Assassination! –“Burn the Rhymes”– Plans for Home

Uniform Edition de luxe – $ 10,000 Tumbles In – “Splendid Bird, Set Her Again” Politics of Peace – Hadleyburg – Making Fun of Mrs. Eddy Budapest Reading – Karl Kraus & Critics – Twain in Top Ten– Authorized Bio Sketch – “Concerning the Jews”– Vienna Farewell – Kellgren’s “System” Becomes Osteopathy Club Dinners Galore – Sanna for the Damned – Boer War Not Boring – London Hermits

This Everlasting Exile – Plasmon in Syndication – Depressing Fog, Hadleyburg Book McClure’s Scheme Fizzles – Harvey Runs Harpers – Seeking Osteopaths “I am an Anti-Imperialist” – Another Heart-Stab – Preaching Copyright to Lords Dollis Hill Idyll – “That Singular Tapeworm” – Home at Last! - Feeding & Speeching – Yale-Princeton Football – Crooked Cab Driver Introduces Churchill – Another Lawsuit –“Hide the Looking-glass”

December 1 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook entry: Slam at Geoffrey Hamlyn [Gribben 374; NB 39 TS 29]. Note: see Jan. 8, 1896 entry about this book of Henry Kingsley. Another entry: Trials of Mutinous Convicts (book) [Gribben 713; NB 39 TS 28]. Note: this is an unidentified book titled, Trials of Mutinous Convicts.

December 1 Wednesday – At the Metropole Hotel, Vienna, Austria, Livy wrote for Sam to Chatto & Windus, asking them to please forward an enclosed letter for Samuel McClure’s London office as Sam did not know the address [MTP].

December 1 Friday – In London, England Sam wrote a postcard reply to John Y. MacAlister.

“Thank you ever so much.

Dine there—with the L.C.J. & millions of journalists present? No-no, I have lately come of age, & know better. / SLC” [MTP].

December 10 Friday – At the Metropole Hotel, Vienna, Austria, Sam replied to Harold Godwin’s Dec. 9 that “a gratifying large per centage” of his creditors had written letters to him that he was “proud to keep.” Sam thanked him personally for his personal letter and “for the spirit which moved” Godwin to do what he did “in the matter of the indebtedness” [MTP]. Note: For Sam to have answered Godwin’s Dec. 9, he must have received a cable from Katharine Harrison regarding the matter. The cable is not extant.

December 10 Saturday – At the Hotel Krantz in Vienna, Austria, Sam wrote to an Frank Bliss.

I must give you my side of the McClure matter. You were dead opposed to having any part of the book [FE] into print before publication-day. I was of your mind—it could do no possible good, & would do very serious harm (to a subscription book) without the slightest doubt in the world. Your McClure publication cost you & me ten times the McClure check.

December 10 Sunday – “My First Lie and How I Got Out of It,” ran in the Sunday supplement of the N.Y. World. It was collected in The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories and Essays and My Debut as a Literary Person, with Other Essays and Stories (1903) [Budd, Collected 2: 1005; AMT-1: 707]. Note: Sam first drafted the piece on Oct. 28.

December 11 Saturday – Here—as in London—Livy & the girls find that the name Clemens is no sufficient disguise. They have Pleasant adventures.

Sam related an episode of Clara and Katy Leary’s the day before, with a cabbie and a box office man at a theater, who softened once Clara gave the name Clemens.

Livy has adventures, too. And Katy—but you know Katy. If I should start in on Katy’s adventures with this family’s name, a certain amount of time would be consumed.