To The Person Sitting in Darkness: Day By Day

November 3 Tuesday – The Clemens family was at sea on the Princess Irene en route for Naples, Italy (Some secondary sources report this as the arrival day for the Clemens family at the Villa Reale di Quarto, in Castello, outside of Florence, but the NB entries contradict this. The NY Times article announcing Livy’s death would give their arrival date in Florence as Nov. 8 [June 7, 1904, p.7].

November 30 Friday – Sam’s 65th Birthday.

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C. Sam wrote a postcard to Richard Watson Gilder, editor of Century Magazine: “I am laid up, but some time when you drop in I will tell you what Harpers said” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to an unidentified woman, likely a neighbor, who complained about noisy boys gathering on his front steps.

November 30 Saturday – Sam’s 66th Birthday. Sam’s notebook: “St. Andrews—Delmonico’s, 7. Carnegie— ‘& speak on what is supposed not to exist—Scotch Humor’ See Nov. 15. Shall arrive there 9.30 prompt” [NB 44 TS 19].

Sam inscribed in an unknown work to Livy: “To Olivia L. Clemens, in passing notice of this day, which lands another year upon the already overburdened back of her loving husband. S.L. Clemens. Riverdale-on-Hudson. Nov. 30, 1901” [MTP].

November 30 Sunday – Sam’s 67th Birthday. He wrote from Elmira to Livy, with a proviso to daughter Clara at the top of the letter. “Clara dear, this is to your mother, but you must not risk showing it to her without reading it first yourself.”

November 30 Monday – Sam’s 68th Birthday.

Rogers’ office sent Clemens a statement showing a New York payment by Bedford Petroleum Co. of Paris, France, for $1,200 [1903 Financials file MTP].

An unidentified person wrote to Sam. Only the envelope survives, bearing postmarks from San Francisco, Washington D.C., and Florence; with stamps from New South Wales, Australia [MTP]. Postmarked MUDGEE, NSW, which is NW of Sydney.

November 4 Sunday – The Clemenses visited with the Laurence Huttons in Princeton, N.J..

William Dean Howells, nearby at 115 E.16th Street, wrote to Thomas Bailey Aldrich, remarking on how good Clemens looked:

November 4 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Magnus Gross, declining an unspecified request: “for I am loaded to the Plimsoll mark, & mustn’t add an ounce to my cargo” [MTP]. Note: This may have been Magnus Gross, public school principal, in 1905 the President of the New York City Teachers’ Organization. The plimsoll line is the marking on a ship’s hull that shows how low or high the ship is resting in the water, in this case the high mark.

November 4 Tuesday – An account told by Norman Hapgood in his 1930 The Changing Years, has been pinned to a period Nov. 4 to 10, 1902, by the NY Sun of Nov. 5, 1902, p.9, “Eleonora Duse Here Again,” and by other New York newspapers, including: See insert ad, Friday Nov. 9, 1902. Hapgood writes:

November 4 Wednesday – The Clemens family was at sea on the Princess Irene en route for Naples, Italy: Sam’s notebook: “At Sea. / The disposition of the average ‘lady’ & ‘gentleman’ to stand in the door-way, the passage-way, the middle of the sidewalk, & be a nasty obstruction” [NB 46 TS 22]. Also, in the printed slot for Nov. 4: NEVER take a promenade-deck room again at any price: a mad-house is preferable. Get the Captain’s apartment, or go down cellar. And NEVER travel in an emigrant-ship. Bugs, fleas, stinks, &c” [TS 29].

November 5 Monday – Before leaving Princeton, N.J.., Sam inscribed Laurence Hutton’s copy of The Celebrated Frog of Calaveras County to: Laurence Hutton: “Prosperity & happiness to Laurence Hutton from his friend Mark Twain—Nov. 5, 1900.” Dated by Hutton on the fly-leaf, “Apr 21/70” [MTP: M.E. Wood, Laurence and Eleanor Hutton: Their Books of Association, 1905, p.129].

November 5 Tuesday – Election Day, New York City: The Fusion Ticket won Victory in the election, with Seth Low elected by a plurality of 33,000. William Travers Jerome was also elected District Attorney. This was a big defeat for Tammany Hall.

November 5 after – Sam’s notebook:

November 5 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote two notes (one per Isabel Lyon) to Franklin G. Whitmore, both about plans to come and view the HF play by Lee Arthur at Parson’s Theatre in Hartford; and the guests he wished to be there [MTP]. Note: Livy’s worsening condition prevented him from making the trip—see Nov. 9 to Whitmore.

November 5 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “NAPLES. Arr. 6 a.m. / The entire promenade deck is enclosed in canvas screens—not even God knows why. It is a prison. One might as well be in the hold” [NB 46 TS 29; MTHHR 541n1].

Muriel M. Pears wrote another effusive and long letter to Sam, whom she called the “greatest, kindest, and more Unswerving Magician of Ours.” She gushed her thanks for Sam’s “unfailing goodness and generous remembrance” of his photograph [MTP].

November 6 Tuesday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Brander Matthews.

Dang it, I’m in Princeton 16th, 17th, & 18th to umpire the football game.

Gimme another chance!

Of course dedicate to me, if you will do me that honor. I shall be glad & proud [MTP]. Note: Gribben identifies the dedicated work as Matthews’ 1901 book, The Historical Novel and Other Essays [459].

November 6 Wednesday – The Order of Acorns organized a victory parade after the Fusion ticket won a large victory in the Nov. 5 election. Mark Twain gave a speech at one point; the event was covered by the New York Times, Nov. 7, p.3:

“THE ACORNS” HOLD AN ELECTION JUBILEE

———

Mark Twain Delivers a Mock Eulogy on Tammany.

———

Then They Parade Up Broadway to

November 6 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Eleanor V. Hutton (Mrs. Laurence Hutton).

November 6 Friday – The Clemens family arrived in Genoa, Italy. The last leg of their journey was to be by train to Florence, Italy, some six or seven hours. The New York Times ran a squib on Nov. 9, p. 7 which revealed that George Gregory Smith met the family in Genoa and accompanied them on to Florence, so likely he had arranged the rail travel, some 480 miles. This would make the family’s arrival in Florence at about 8 or 9 p.m.

November 7 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Harry Rogers at Mr. Benjamins, 46 E 74th 4.30. / Send de luxe— lower than Charley to Miss Mary Benjamin,—write a note” [NB 43 TS 28].

Henry Huddleston (Harry) Rogers, Jr. married Mary Benjamin [MTHHR 743]. Note: Sam’s NB entry reveals he attended the wedding at the Benjamin home, and gave a deluxe set of his books.

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Laurence Hutton.

November 7 Thursday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam, asking for an interview. He addressed the letter to “S.L. Clemens, Litt.D,” honoring Sam’s new honorary doctor of letters degree from Yale.

November 7 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Mr. Griswold. “I shall be very glad indeed to do it. You forgot to enclose the piece of paper. You will best know the size & kind of paper you desire, so I will wait, if I may, until I hear from you again” [MTP].

November 7 Saturday – The Clemens family was in Florence, Italy. Hill claims that because Countess Massiglia would not allow Janet D. Ross to prepare the villa prior to their arrival, so they were forced to take a hotel room in town until Nov. 9 [72].

November 8 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Victor Mapes play—Empire Theatre—2 p.m. / 2 p.m. Mr. Rogers & Chester Lord” [NB 43 TS 28]. Note: The matinee four-act play, “The Tory’s Guest,” which, according to the NY Times, p.7, Nov. 9, “was performed by pupils in Mr. Sargent’s American Academy of the Dramatic Arts” [Gribben 450]. Gribben mentions two other plays by Mapes, but the one above played on the same date as Sam’s entry and at the same theater.

November 8 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “New York / ‘Huck Finn’ / Mark Twain League man 5 p.m. here. / WEDDING 3 / Books should bear all the copyrights—Webster Dic. / Can Mrs. C. or heirs renew?” [NB 45 TS 33]. Note: neither the MT League man nor the wedding notation (3 p.m.?) are identified, though the latter may refer to Julia Langdon’s pleading letter for him to come to her wedding on Nov. 29 in Elmira..

November 8 Sunday – The New York Times, p.7 ran a short note of the Clemenses arrival in Florence:

Mark Twain’s Villa Near Florence.

November 9 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “The King’s birthday. Delmonico, 44th Street. I to arrive 9.30 or 9.45 / Mr. Bradley. Leave 8.45. Britons educated in British schools & colleges. Includes Canadians & other colonials” [NB 44 TS 17]. Note: see below.