The Man in the White Suit: Day By Day

August 3 Tuesday — Jean Clemens, following up on the July 19 letter of her father’s to Eric L. Pape in Gloucester, Mass., wrote to Mrs. Pape. In part:

Dear Mrs. Pape, / Please pardon my discourtesy as being caused by my necessity as a farmer, of working not intentional. I meant to write long ago when I first received the invitation to attend the Gloucester celebration, but I am excessively busy these days as father’s secretary and farming on my own account, the days slipped by—rushed by, without my realizing how they sped.

August 4 Wednesday -The New York Times, p.1 continued to report on the conflict between Mark Twain and his former secretary:

ASHCROFT ACCUSES MISS CLARA CLEMENS

Says Mark Twain’s Daughter Made Charges

Because She Was Jealous of Her Success.

QUOTES HUMORIST’S LETTER

In It He Praised His Secretary and Rebuked

Daughter for Complaints—No Diversion of Funds.

August 5 Thursday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to John Brown, Jr. (“Jock”) in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Dear Mr. “Jock:” / Don’t you think you can find for me, among your father’s papers, a fugitive scrap of that dear little Marjorie’s penmanship? If you can, I will take good care of it & return it to you as soon as the engraver is done with it.

August 6 Friday - Sam’s new guestbook:

August 7 Saturday - In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Elinor M Howells (Mrs. William Dean Howells),

Dear Mrs, Howells: / Clara thinks that if she knows young Alden’s sister it must be under a married name, as she is doubtful if she has met any Miss Alden.

August 8 Sunday —- Sam’s new guestbook:

August 10 Tuesday — The New York Times, p.7, noted the end of one of Mark Twain’s passions:

END OF CHILDREN’S THEATRE.

East Side Playhouse Dissolved Because of Lack of Funds.

August 11 Wednesday — Sam’s new guestbook:

August 12 Thursday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to George B. Harvey.

Dear Colonel: / It was lovely of Mrs. Harvey & Dorothy & Jessica to come & see me, & it would be lovely if you & Dunneka or the Major would do the same. I can shelter two of you any week-end, or week-middle.

August 13 Friday — Edward Eugene Loomis for the Delaware, Lackawanna Railroad wrote to Sam.

“I return herewith the 300 shares of Plasmon Milk Products Company stock you left with me sometime since, also correct Power of Attorney I have just succeeded in getting, authorizing me to sign for the other shares of the stock of this company that are due you” [MTP].

August 16 Monday — Paine writes of Sam’s reading and of events in the evening:

August 16. He is reading Suetonius, which he already knows by heart — so full of the cruelties and licentiousness of imperial Rome.

This afternoon he began talking about Claudius,

August 17 Tuesday - Sam's new guest book:

August 18 Wednesday - Sam's new guest book:

August 19 Thursday — David Rutherford wrote from London, offering to illustrate for nothing:

Dear Sir, / In the “Idler” of February 1898 there appeared an article by Robert Barr in which he exposed a “system” advised by you for those in want of work and which had been acted upon very successfully in a number of instances by those who applied it. [...]

August 24 Tuesday — In his Lyon-Ashcroft MS Clemens wrote on Aug. 25 of this day:

August 25 Wednesday — William Dean Howells wrote from Carlsbad, Austria to Sam.

Dear Clemens: / Your friendly letter of prevention found me already taking quarts of cure, here. I hated abominably to come, but doctors and dear ones of all ages and sexes joined in thrusting me away. Surgeons suggested prying me open with cutlasses, and painted the process in glowing colors. But the next time I have bilious colic that ties me up in a double bow-knot I will get an osteopath to untangle me.

August 26 Thursday —In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Héléne Elisabeth Picard.

August 27 Friday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Margery H. Clinton in Tuxedo Park, N.Y.

August 31 Tuesday

August 31? Tuesday — In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to David Rutherford’s offer of Aug. 19 to illustrate Sam’s next book for nothing, thereby applying what he perceived to be Mark Twain’s “system” of rising in business. Sam wrote on Rutherford’s letter:

September — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Marjorie Breckenridge.

I can’t, Marjorie dear, my activities are pretty definitely suspended. I can’t drive, I can’t walk, I am a prisoner. I am as well as anybody—as long as I keep still; but the least little exertion gives me such a bitter pain in the chest that I could enjoy it more than anything in the world if somebody else had it.

You must look in on me, Marjorie, & if I get over this before you go away, I’ll pay back. /Affectionately / [MTP; MTAq 265].

September 1 Wednesday — Sam’s new guestbook:

September 5 Sunday — Sam’s new guestbook:

Frances Nunnally sent Sam a picture postcard of West Main St., Waterbury, Conn.

Dear Mr. Clemens

September 6 Monday — Sam’s new guestbook:   

September 7 Tuesday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote on letterhead of The Robert Fulton Monument Association to Harry Windsor Dearborn, listed as “Ass’t Secretary” of the association.

September 9 Thursday — In Redding, Conn. Albert B. Paine wrote for Sam to Archibald Henderson.