To The Person Sitting in Darkness: Day By Day

November 9 Sunday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Charles Bancroft Dillingham, whom he had planned to accompany to Hartford to see the first performance of Lee Arthur’s HF play.

November 9 Monday – The Clemens family took possession of the Villa di Quarto [Hill 72; Willis 1]. Note: Servants at the Villa di Quarto: Carlo Cosi (Chef), Adelasia Curradi (Upstairs maid), Gigia Brunori (Kitchen maid), Celestino Bruschi (footman), Theresa Bini, Ugo Piemontini (Butler), Emilio Talorici (?) coachman [AMT 1: group photo after p. 204]. Note: Katy Leary also in photo.

October 1 Tuesday – The Clemenses took possession of the Appleton house at Riverdale-on-the-Hudson. Sam wrote sometime after to an unidentified man, heading the letter with this address [MTP].

Sometime between this day and Feb. 22, 1902 Sam also wrote to Frederick A. Duneka [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Charles H. Taylor of the Boston Globe, acknowledging the $100 check and thanking for Taylor’s compliment [MTP].

October 1 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Theodore Weld Stanton in N.Y.C.

“Welcome home! / Mrs. Clemens is slowly recovering from a long & wasting illness, but we believe that a fortnight hence we shall be able to move her to Riverdale, where I shall hope to see you when you can run up” [MTP].

October 1 Thursday – At Quarry Farm in Elmira, N.Y. Sam wrote a note to the Hartford Postmaster that was not sent.

In this envelop came a letter (dated 6 weeks back) from Brazil, in which the writer says he is sending me a little book “by private hands.”

October 10 Thursday – Elisabeth Marbury wrote to Sam: “I am in receipt of your letter, and will attend to its contents at once” [MTP].

October 10 or 17 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Theodore Weld Stanton.

October 10 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “THE DUEL. Next month tell it at the East Side House Settlement, for the purpose of drawing an instructive moral from it—& then forget what the moral was. ‘Now I come to the moral’ Reflect long (& embarrassingly for the audience). Give it up & sit down” [NB 45 TS 30].

October 10 Saturday – Sam also wrote to Frank N. Doubleday [MTP]. UCCL 12873 letter is not available.

Sam’s notebook: “H. [Harpers] has no subscription-rights in last 2 books. / 1847. Witnessed post mortem of my uncle through the keyhole” [NB 46 TS 25]. Note: curiously, it was his father, not his uncle; also probably not a regular post-mortem, and probably not much could be seen through the keyhole.

October 11 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Robert Underwood Johnson.

“I have been cogitating for 24 hours, & have evolved a scheme. It is quite different from yours, but I believe it promises well. Will you run up here (25 minutes by rail) some day between now & October 30…” [MTP].

The New York Times ran a report of burglaries in Riverdale, quoting Mark Twain:

BURGLARIES ALARM RIVERDALE RESIDENTS

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October 11 Saturday – In from Boston with him the

York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to William Dean Howells after returning day before: “Say—stay where you are till you die. I’ve written 28 letters to-day connected with moving” [MTHL 2: 747].

Sam also wrote to update H.H. Rogers on the impending move to Riverdale:

October 11 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Go to Riverdale, after Mrs. Day’s” [NB 46 TS 25]. Note: Alice Hooker Day (Mrs. John Calvin Day); the nature of the errand is unclear.

George Gregory Smith, in Florence, Italy, wrote his mother: “On Wednesday last [Oct. 7] I signed the lease of the Villa di Quarto for Mark Twain. It is really very fine & beautifully furnished. He cables his satisfaction” [Orth 30]. Note: Sam’s responding cable is not extant.

October 12 Saturday – Sam received a copy of George Washington Cable’s new book, The Cavalier (1901) [Oct. 15 to Cable].

Elisabeth Marbury wrote to Sam.

October 12 Monday – At the Grosvenor Hotel in N.Y.C. Sam began a letter to Frank N. Doubleday that he added a PS to on Oct. 13.

October 13 Sunday – In the evening Sam finished reading The Cavalier, George Washington Cable’s new book [Oct. 15 to Cable].

Sam inscribed a flyleaf of Russell Alexander Alger’s (1836-1907) The Spanish American War (1901): “S.L. Clemens, Riverdale-on-Hudson, Oct. 13, 1901” [Gribben 20].

October 13 Monday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Muriel M. Pears, his “Member for Scotland” in the Juggernaut Club. Had he sent her the Constitution and Laws for the Club? He wasn’t sure he had. Sam related the “disastrous two months & freighted with fears & anxieties” about Livy; he related plans to move her to Riverdale on an invalid car in two days; and noted he had leased the Riverdale house for another year. He was sorry he didn’t have more cheerful things to say [MTP].

October 13 Tuesday – At the Grosvenor Hotel in N.Y.C. Sam added P.S. to his Oct. 12 to Doubleday:

P. S. Your letter has arrived. It makes me proud & glad—what Kipling says. I hope Fate will fetch him to Florence while we are there. I would rather see him than any other man.

We’ve let the Tarrytown house for a year. Man, you would never have believed a person could let a house in these times. That one’s for sale, the Hartford one is sold. When we buy again may we—may I—be damned.

October 14 Monday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam [MTHL 2: 730]. Note: letter dated Oct. 15; postmarked Oct. 14; Howells was likely confused as to the date.

Michael P. O’Riley wrote from NY to Sam. He was a policeman and had read Sam’s interview in this day’s Herald. He wanted Sam to know that policemen were with Seth Low almost to the man, and wished Sam success in his canvass for votes for Low [MTP].

October 14 Tuesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Bliss Perry (1860-1954), editor of Atlantic Monthly (1899-1909). “It is quite true & not yet two days old. If it is worth hiding away in the curtained Contributors’ Club, do it. I can’t sign it, as I am a Harper exclusive” [MTP]. Note: Atlantic Monthly had a “Contributors’ Club” section where pieces were published anonymously. The feature was fun for contributors and readers alike, who would guess at who wrote the articles.

October 14 Wednesday – At the Grosvenor Hotel in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to Dr. Edwin Pond Parker.

When I read the words “You lie at leisure,” I was for a moment shocked & a little hurt, for you seemed to be charging me with lack of spirit, energy, industry in my calling, & I thought it a strange attitude for you to take, after knowing me so long & so well & I never having given you any reason for it; but another glance showed me that you were talking about something else & meaning no harm.

October 15 Monday – The S.S. Minnehaha arrived in New York City with the Clemens family on board [MTHHR 451]. The steamship was slow in getting into the pier at West Houston Street. At 10 p.m. the gangplank was positioned. Sam waited until most of the passengers had disembarked. When he did so he was surrounded by “a few friends” and newspaper men. Paine reports a remark Sam made to them:

“If I ever get ashore I am going to break both of my legs so I can’t get away again” [MTB 1110].

October 15 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to George Washington Cable.

Your book came three days ago, your note [not extant] this morning. I finished reading the story night before last. From start to finish it kept me electrically a-tingle with its rush & go, & charmed with its brilliances of phrasing & its other manifold fascinations. Thank you cordially! [MTP]. Note: See Gribben 123. Cable’s book referred to was The Cavalier (1901)

October 15 Wednesday – The Clemens family and Sue Crane left York Harbor, Maine about 9 a.m. utilizing an “invalid car.” They rode to a point south of Boston, then on to N.Y.C., arriving at 5:40 p.m. 20 minutes more brought them by special engine to Riverdale, N.Y. at about 7 p.m. [Oct. 16 to Hutton; Oct. 16 Jean Clemens to Sewell; Oct. 19 to Crane]. Sam thought Livy arrived in “pretty good physical condition” [Oct 18 to MacAlister].

October 15 Thursday – Henry C. Griffin replied to Sam’s Oct. 13 about a refund of overpayment of taxes on the Tarrytown property.

Yours of the 13th instant received. [Not extant.]

The school tax will soon be ready for collection and I will send the school tax bill to Hoyt & Co., as you directed.

I have an application for return of the overpayment last Spring on the Town tax..

October 16 Tuesday – At Hotel Earlington, N.Y.C., Sam wrote one sentence to Arthur Lumley (1837-

1912), illustrator, painter. “Gen. Bunker means well, & so I’ll not criticise his history, though I give you my word there isn’t a single molecule of truth in it anywhere” [MTP].

October 16 Wednesday – William Dean Howells replied to Sam that he would “gladly come to your feast of acorns tomorrow evening,” but was concerned they might “poke” him out without an invitation. He also poked Sam about the upcoming Yale event publicity:

“In the notice of the Yale guests, as I noted with my usual grouch where you are concerned, your name came first, with some laudatory type round it, and mine followed with the “and others,” and nothing attached to it. So I think there is some mistake” [MTHL 2: 731].