To The Person Sitting in Darkness: Day By Day

February 23 Monday – Sam’s butler (perhaps Claude) returned from the Oppenheimer Institute. From the UC Berkeley 1973 Christian Science footnotes:

February 23 Tuesday – George Gregory Smith wrote to Isabel V. Lyon, thanking her for her “very clear letter with enclosures of Express receipts, &c.” He had written the American Express agent in Paris and enclosed copies “of the whole matter” [MTP].

February 24 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Hapgood dinner 49 W. 57” [NB 44 TS 6].

Nathan Kite family and the William L. Price family wrote to Sam that his picture was on their wall and they’d “adopted” him as a saint: “A long and useful like to thee in the cause of brother man” [MTP].

William Dean Howells wrote his sister, Miss Aurelia Howells, and included a paragraph about Mark Twain which is rather instructive of their activities during this time:

February 24 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote again to Rev. L.M. Powers of Haverhill, Mass.

Thank you very much. I have ordered 500 Porto Rico cigars—$4.50 per 100—a breed which I have been experimenting with.

I enclose the Express receipt, which was not delivered to me until this morning. Those express people will bear watching, & I lately had reason to be glad I had a receipt to confront them with when they had done some mislaying [MTP]. Note: see Feb. 19 to Powers.

February 24 Tuesday – Fatout lists a speech at the William Dean Howells dinner in Boston for Sam on this day, but gives no particulars and none were found [MT Speaking 672].

Sam’s notebook: “Submerged fame” [NB 46 TS 11].

Rogers dictated a letter to Sam.

I have your letters, and will make the appointment for the review of the article in the “Cosmopolitan.” I note what you say in regard to jury duty, and will endeavor to get you relieved.

February 24 Wednesday – Miss Clara Anderson wrote from Moline, Ill. to Sam, having been given his name by an inventor of hearing-aid devices, Mr. M.R. Hutchison. She noted so much deception in the field and wanted to confirm Sam’s endorsement. On the back of the letter Clemens wrote” Answered Mar 13, 1904” [MTP].

February 25 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Millard, at Waldorf, lec. on China War. Shall I go?” [NB 44 TS 6]. Note: Thomas Franklin Fairfax Millard (1868-1942), journalist, editor, founder of China Weekly Review. He was also a war corresondent for the N.Y. Herald and had articles printed in several N.Y. papers. He supported Sam in the Ament indemnity controversy.

February 25 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “The Mayor’s dinner to H.R.H. Prince Henry of Prussia / Metropolitan Club 6.30. Train 5.24—arr 5.55” [NB 45 TS 4]. Note: the dinner was Feb. 26. See entry.

February 25 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frank Bliss on the bottom left corner of Rogers’ Feb. 24 letter: “I have this moment telephoned Mr. Duneka and asked him to send you an authorization to use the ‘Russian Passport’ in your forthcoming volume, and he said he would attend to it at once. Go ahead and put it in” [MTHHR 519n2]. Note: Bliss questioned whether he would be allowed to include “The Belated Russian Passport” in Vol. 23 of Mark Twain’s autograph edition of works.

February 25 Thursday – Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence: Sam began a letter to H.H. Rogers that he finished on Feb. 26.

February 26 Tuesday – George Lynch gave a lecture on China that Sam had promised on Feb. 19. to attend. Sam’s notebook: “Lynch’s lecture with pictures—Waldorf 8.15 / Read the story again at Dr. Rice’s—in evening” [NB 44 TS 6].The New York Times, Feb. 24, p.20 ran a short squib announcing:

A Lecture on Peking.

February 26 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to George B. Harvey.

From a competent source I have an offer for the Newbegin contract (which I now control) of $250,000 guaranty for 5 years: $100,000 to be cash in advance to cover the first two years. Naturally I wish the offer had come from you. I cannot know if you would care to duplicate it, but you will tell me as to that; & it will be a favor to me if you will tell me as quickly as you conveniently can [MTP]. Note: See Feb. 15.

February 26 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Paul Kester in Accotink, Va. acknowledging receipt of a MS for a play [MTP].

Hamlin Garland wrote from NY to Sam, that he’d paid the driver “amply” and that they enjoyed the visit to Sam’s house, “There was only one person lacking—Mrs. Clemens,” and he hoped that warmer weather might bring her relief [MTP].

February 26 Friday – Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence: Sam finished his Feb. 25 to H.H. Rogers.

Feb. 26, 8 a.m. News comes that Mrs. Clemens slept a little while lying down.The first time for many weeks. / P.S.[enclosure:]

February 27 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Osteopathy—Albany Grand Central Depot—leave 8.30 a.m.” [NB 44 TS 6].

The New York Times, p. 6, “Osteopaths to Have a Hearing,” announced in a special item from Albany, N.Y. that Mark Twain would be the principal speaker to an Assembly Committee on Public Health on Feb. 28 dealing with the prohibition of osteopathy and Christian Science

February 27 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Laurence Hutton, that H.H. Rogers thought they should leave on their five-six week West Indies cruise on Mar. 10 or 11, probably on Mar. 10, and that he should not fail to be ready, as “that voyage will do your health a world of good” [MTP]. Note: Sam also asked Hutton to simply address him at “New York City” and crossed out “Riverdale on the Hudson” letterhead. On Mar.

February 27 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a good night note to Livy. “Feb. 27—p.m. The ashcats have gone their rooms; I have come to mine; the day is done, it is time for reading, smoking, reflection, sleep—with you for text & undertone, dear sweetheart, whom I love—& so, with a kiss, & another, & others, beside, Good night & pleasant dreams. / Y” [LLMT 342].

February 27 Saturday – At the Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence Sam wrote to Dr. H. Laing Gordon, and marked it “Private” at the top:

February 28 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Players—dinner—Riggs & Hutton. 7.30” [NB 44 TS 6].

Life Feb. 28, 1901 p. 166 ran this political cartoon (insert) titled, “The American Lion of St. Mark’s.”

Miss Gertrude Bloede of Brooklyn wrote compliments of Twain’s “Sitting in Darkness” article [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “Add a line thanks for fine poetry”

February 28 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Krause Dinner / Brander Matthews—1.30 p.m. 681 West End Ave cor. 93d street” [NB 45 TS 4].

Alvey Augustus Adee wrote to Sam on Department of State, Washington letterhead (Second Asst. Secretary). He had learned from George Iles that Sam had no copy of 1601, and so made two copies from his own copy and enclosed one, the other going to Iles [MTP]. Note: Iles had visited on Feb. 17.

February 28 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

Consound it, Clara tells me the Rices are coming here to dinner Tuesday Evening March 3, an engagement 2 weeks old, & swears she told me of it at the time–which is mere sickroom veracity; she never told me till to-day.

I am sorry to miss going with you to see the General, & so is Mrs. Clemens.

February 28 Sunday – Lyon’s journal: Isabel and the Clemenses went “to the theatre to see a play by Maurice Maeterlinck (1862-1949), acted by his wife” on an unspecified date during the month [TS 14, MTP].Note: Maeterlinck was a Belgian playwright and poet who wrote in French. He won the Nobel prize in Literature in 1911. By 1904 he had written at least fourteen plays.

February 29 Monday – Miss Emily Katherine Bates (usually seen as E. Katherine Bates) English novelist, travel writer, member of the English Society for Psychical Research, wrote from Rome to Sam.

Dear Mr. Clemmens [sic] / I am writing to you instead of to Mrs Clemens because I think it may be easier to find you!

February 3 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Write Introduction to 100-Year Book. Mrs. Schieffelin, 242 E. 15th” [NB 44 TS 5].

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Edward W. Ordway, secretary of the Anti-Imperialist League. “I myself have no objections; for the other necessary permission I will refer you to Colonel Harvey of the North American Review…” [MTP]. Note: the League requested to reprint in pamphlet form, “To The Person Sitting in Darkness.”

February 3 Monday – In. N.Y.C. William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.

I have Mr. Skrine’s book; but I am switched off from my North American Reviewing to paragraphing and article letting for the Weekly, and I don’t know what to do for your friend. I can’t write any more than I’m doing now; but I will tackle the book, and see if I can’t get something out of it for the “Easy Chair.” But I mustn’t promise. Skrine seems all kinds of a good fellow.