To The Person Sitting in Darkness: Day By Day

May 17 Tuesday – Frederick A. Duneka wrote to Sam, letting him know that Mark Twain day at the St. Louis Fair had been postponed until some time in September. The Fair wasn’t yet “an overwhelming success” but it was early. He asked Sam to send his portrait (the Gelli painting) so they might display it “in a splendid window in Fifth Avenue just below the Holland House” [MTP].

May 18 Sunday – Livy’s diary: “Annie Trumbull, Miss Dike & John Howells here for tea” [MTP: DV161].

May 18 Monday – In Fairhaven, Mass. Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore: “P.S. You know you want to take a N.Y. draft, Brer—a Hartford check isn’t worth so much” [MTP].

May 18 Wednesday – At the Villa Reale di Quarto, Sam replied to Father Nicholas Miale.

Your kind letter of yesterday has reached me, & its friendly spirit & the compliments you pay me in it have greatly gratified me. The newspaper which you have mentioned has not arrived yet, but it will come along presently.

May 19 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, reacting to the lack of interest in the advertisements for the sale of their Hartford house. Whitmore was surprised there had been no letters from out of town. To Sam, the plan used to seem plausible to hook “some rich Chicagoan” but now that the scheme wasn’t successful he wasn’t surprised.

The thing that does is that there is but one Hartford bid. I had thought of Mrs. George Perkins, & of James Goodwin’s son; as possible bidders.

May 19 Tuesday – Sam returned to Riverdale, N.Y. either the night before or this day. He returned at least part way on Rogers’ yacht Kanawha [MTHHR 528n1].

May 19 Thursday – At the Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence Sam wrote to Dr. William Wilberforce Baldwin in Rome.

Mrs. Clemens, with characteristic sharpness has hunted the mystery down & found out that it is proposed to have the Swiss surgeon make an examination with a view to an operation. She votes against it, & of course that settles it, for I would not want to take the responsibility of trying to persuade her. She wants me to thank you, but also to ask you not to bring Dr. Corka (if that is the name.)

May – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to William Dean Howells.

Dear Howells: / Won’t you come down & dine tomorrow, 7.30? Nobody but the family & Rev. Geo.

Williamson Smith, (President of Trinity, Hartford)—one of the loveliest men alive.

Sam’s article, “A Defence of General Funston,” ran in the May 1902 issue of the North American Review.

April, late or May early – Sam wrote a short essay, “Reflections on a Letter and a Book,” so titled later by Paine. The piece was a response to a letter and book sent him by Hilary Trent (aka R.M. Manley). Sam was often irritated by such requests to read literary works, and took this instance to wax ridicule on the selfishness of the human race [AMT 1: 181, 520n181.3].

May – Bookman (NY), p. 235-6, ran Harry Thurston Peck’s article, “Mark Twain at Ebb Tide.” Tenney: “A review of Extracts from Adam’s Diary as showing ‘just how far a man who was once a great humorist can fall. We thought when we read A Double-Barrelled Detective Story that Mark Twain could do no worse. But we were wrong’” [40].

Harper’s Weekly ran an interview with Mark Twain by J. M’Arthur [Tenney 39: Henderson (1911) p. 223].

May 2 Thursday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to W.L. Howard, thanking for the invitation but declining as he was no longer in the lecture field. After his signature he added, “If I were not permanently tired of travel, I would make that trip; but I hope I have made my last journey” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Laurence Hutton.

May 2 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Poultney Bigelow, who evidently had asked what road to take to get to Riverdale. Sam replied: “Land!—I don’t know any road except the railroad, & it doesn’t turn off at all. I think you stick to Broadway all the way, but I do not know” [MTP]. Note: Bigelow was likely coming to Sam’s dinner party this evening, and was a fan of the bicycle. “Dinner party at home” [NB 45 TS 11].

May 2 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Franklin G. Whitmore.

Mr. Clemens wishes me to write you at once that he will accept Mr.Bissell’s offer and will pay the tax. Regarding the furniture, Mr Clemens will have to write you later as that must be left with Mrs. Clemens, and she cannot talk the matter over at present.

Mr. Clemens does not think that Mr. Reeves will ever put in a claim [MTP].

May 2 Monday – George B. Harvey wrote from NY to Sam.

“I have just returned from a hurried trip to London where I remained two weeks and, like the man in the poker game did not have an opportunity to turn my head to spit. I saw Howells several times and he is looking very well….My great sorrow was that I could not sneak out the time to come down to Florence…” He enclosed a few clippings to make Sam smile (not in the file) [MTP].

May 20 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “2 p.m. Stenographer / John Mackay after 2. 253 B’way” [NB 44 TS 11].

Check # Payee Amount [Notes]

114 Whitmore 110.00

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote on Frank Bliss’ May 15: “Dear Bliss: You have correctly stated the situation (above) as I understand it” [MTP]. Note: See May 15.

May 20 Tuesday – Livy’s diary: “Mrs William E. Dodge here for tea” [MTP: DV161].

Katharine I. Harrison wrote to Sam, advising that she had used $5,000 on the Steel investment which Rogers had made “some time since,” to offset $5,000 owed Rogers [MTP].

May 20 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

May 20 Friday – At the Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence Sam wrote to Susan Crane.

May 21 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “May 21. The first time John Mackay has mentioned that $5,000 in all these years. Said he had my vote. A surprise to me. He bought what John P. Jones called a ‘privilege,’ & paid for it. Jones did the same. I owe nothing. The idea of my borrowing money at that time! I had burdens enough without that. It was about 1890” [NB 44 TS 11]. Note: see Sam’s NB entry of July 29, 1890, Vol. II.

Check # Payee Amount [Notes]

May 21 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore (only the envelope survives) [MTP].

Sam inscribed a copy of A Double-Barrelled Detective Story with his signature and the date on a blank preliminary leaf [PBA Galleries auction 24 May 2007 Lot 248].

Sam’s notebook entry lists ideas for the “50 years after” tale, never finshed [NB 45 TS 13].

May 21 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Livy a follow up letter to Franklin G. Whitmore about personal property at the Hartford house. Livy was concerned about “some embroideries and handkerchiefs left in the Hartford house” which might be ruined from long storage and wanted to know if laces kept in the Hartford bank needed to be examined. Livy also wanted Ellen O’Neil to have some furniture [MTP].

May 21 Saturday – Sam’s note about the water situation continued: “May 21. At eleven o’clock the Countess sent word by the gardener that Mr. Clemens’s cook must not leave the villa before seven o’clock in the morning. The cook has been accustomed to leave at six every morning. / May 21. At 12.10 (pm) the water still dripping from the fountain faucet. / No, not dripping—it is a jet” [DV245]. Note: the family’s chef was Carlo Cosi [AMT 1: photo of servants following p.304].

May 22 Wednesday – Adirondack Park Co. per George V. Duryee wrote to Sam enclosing an inventory of the Camp cabin furniture [MTP].

[Dangling PDF box]  [MTP: MS: Anderson Galleries].

May 22 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Briercliff? / Join Mr. Wright here at 10.14 a.m. / Returning leave Scarboro at 3—something” [NB 45 TS 13]. Note: Howard E. Wright of the Am. Plasmon Co. The entry suggests the two men went to Scarborough, N.Y.on Plasmon Co. business. Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. is nearby.