December 1 Tuesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Marjorie Breckenridge.

December 3 Thursday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.

December 4 Friday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Elizabeth Jordan.

Dear Miss Jordan:

December 5 Saturday – Sam’s new guestbook:  

Name  Address  Date  Remarks

December 6 Sunday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Margaret Blackmer.

December 7 Monday – Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Murray Butler sent their calling card for Sam “to meet Lord & Lady Northcliffe & Signor Ferrero,” Tues. Dec. 15 4 to 6 p.m. [MTP]. Note: “Ans Dec 7 MLH”

December 8 Tuesday – Sam’s A.D. for this date focused again on the two burglars at Stormfield [Hill 209]. f: Sam also dictated on the burglary on Oct. 6 and Nov. 12.  

December 9 Wednesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Dec. 2 of Charles Hopkins Clark.

December 10 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Dorothy Quick.

December 11 Friday – Sam took a quick trip into NYC, using taxis to visit H.H. Rogers, Julia Langdon Loomis, daughter Clara, and Mary B. Rogers [Dec. 12 to Langdon].

December 12 Saturday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Charles J. Langdon.

Dear Charley:

December 13 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:  “Mr. Starr & Mr. Watson came for luncheon today, & Mrs. Starr made some colored photographs of the King & Margaret” [MTP: IVL TS 83]. Note: see Starr’s account of this trip Nov. 29 entry.

December 14 Monday – William Ireland Starr, photographer from West Redding, Conn. came and took photographs of Stormfield and it’s occupants, including one of Ralph W.

December 15 Tuesday – Clara Apfel, who was about to prepare a paper for the Chicago Women’s Club wrote to ask “something new”—“Possibly what you personally think of ‘Women’s’ clubs” or some little incident” in his life [MTP]. Note: “Ans Dec 23 MLH”

December 16 Wednesday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.

Dear Clemens:

December 17 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam sent a telegram to daughter Jean in Berlin, Germany.

[typed on form of Western Union Telegraph Company:]

December 18 Friday – In N.Y.C. H.H. Rogers wrote to Sam.

December 19 Saturday – In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Dec. 18 from H.H. Rogers.

Dear Admiral:

December 20 Sunday – In Redding, Conn. Sam began a letter to Margaret Blackmer that he finished on Dec. 21. The Dec. 20 segment:

December 21 Monday – In Redding, Conn. Sam added to his Dec. 20 to Margaret Blackmer.

Next morning. 8 a.m. Before breakfast.

December 22 Tuesday – Mansfield Hobbs, an attorney friend of Ralph W. Ashcroft filed incorporation papers for the Mark Twain Company, with $5,000 in capital stock. Clemens, Ashcroft, and Isabel Lyon were the original officers. Sam signed a document assigning and transferring all of his literary rights to the new corporation.

December 23 Wednesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Dec. 10 of L.M. Powers. “Published without my consent; & promptly suppressed. SLC /Don’t know where to find this one. It was a political brochure” [MTP].

December 24 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam inscribed a copy of P&P to Ossip Gabrilowitsch: “To Ossip Gabrilowitsch, all good wishes & a Merry Christmas, from the Author. Stormfield, Dec. 24/08” [MTP].  

December 25 Friday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Dorothy Butes.

December 26 Saturday – In Redding, Conn. Sam sent the same postcard with a photo of himself, Ashcroft, and Lyon to Dorothy Sturgis, this time adding supposed dialog between those photographed: