Summer of 1888: Day By Day

August 8 Wednesday – The New York Times, p 4 ran a notice to the editor from Charles L. Webster & Co., dated Aug. 7.

SHERIDAN’S MEMOIRS

To the Editor of the New-York Times:

June 25 Monday - Depart Hartford for New York City and Elmira

From page 547-8 The Life of Mark Twain - The Middle Years 1871-1891:

July 1 Sunday – James L. Cowles for the Reform Club (New Haven) wrote to Sam, inviting him to join the newly formed tariff club. Sam, as one of…

…the mugwumps of 1884 [should join in support of Cleveland’s tariff policies]. We shall need a great deal of money and shall be compelled to perform an immense amount of labor to insure success but we shall succeed [MTNJ 3: 392n318]. Note: See July 9 entry for check Sam sent in support.

July 11 Wednesday – Franklin G. Whitmore wrote Sam:

I ordered 12 Memorandum books of the Plimpton Cy. for you at a cost of $11. This is about as cheap as they can be gotten up & made first class as per your own as sample [MTNJ 3: 390]. Note: Sam’s style of notebook was one he developed. Here the maker was the Plimpton Manufacturing Co., Hartford.

July 12 Thursday – Sam wrote a letter of introduction “To whom it may Concern” for Miss Lilly Gillette Foote, who in 1880 became the Clemens children’s governess. On a separate card Sam wrote that it was a “General letter of introduction for Miss Foote to any known or unknown foreign friends of mine who may have read my books” [MTP]. Note: Though this letter is inscribed and labeled from Hartford, it is not clear whether Sam was actually in Hartford at the time.

July 13 Friday – Probably in Elmira or on the train headed back to Elmira, Sam began a letter to William Kennedy he did not finish until Oct. 31. He may have misplaced it in the meantime, as this was not usual for him to do. The letter is enlightening as to Sam’s thoughts about humor and American humor in particular.

July 14 Saturday – Sam 30 and Theo Crane 15 in another contest, probably cribbage or cards (see July 5). There are ten more entries under this contest, dated only July with ditto marks, but no days, then a long column of scores, but none dated till Sept. 5 [MTNJ 3: 475].

Arthur H. Wright for Webster & Co. sent Sam a very low bank balances total: $1,422.14. Sam wrote on the envelope:

July 15 Sunday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Andrew Chatto about bills sent to Chatto and to Dawson & Brothers in Montreal, which Webster & Co. sent (See July 15 to Webster & Co.) Next up was General Phil Sheridan’s book.

July 16 Monday – In Elmira Sam wrote a short note to Franklin G. Whitmore about ordering “12 memorandum books when 4 would answer,” (See July 11 from Whitmore) and enclosed a check he’d received from American Publishing Co. Sam wrote on the envelope:

Ask the Am. Pub. To send no more checks to New York; — send them to me. Those people there never seem to know what to do with them. SLC [MTP].

July 17 Tuesday – Webster & Co. per Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam a summary of affairs at the office: the Scribner matter “still hangs fire.” The Library of Humor was selling poorly. The LAL increased their faith daily. The finances required borrowing for a 25,000 edition of Sheridan’s book. Hall felt they had “passed through the crucial period” [MTP].

July 18 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam answered a 10:30 a.m. telegram from Franklin G. Whitmore:

Shall I put in a remonstrance against moving the electric light now nearly opposite you to a point about one hundred & thirty feet east on Farmington Ave. at the head of Forest St [MTP].

 with one of his own:

Yes Protest in my name by all means [MTP].

July – Henry C. Robinson wrote to Sam (enclosed in Orion July 9) [MTP].

J.G. Rathbun & Co. Pharmacists, Hartford billed $103.05 paid July 10:

Apl 2 toothbrushes .70 soap .55 El? Bark .20

Apl 4 Friedrichshall .30 Apl 9 200 cigars 8.00 Oiled silk .125 tot 9.55

Apl 10 carbolic acid, chlorides, 1/2 alcohol, &c 2.55

July 19 Thursday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, enclosing a letter meant for newspaper publication. The letter is a humorous and scathing sort aimed at the city of Hartford for moving an electric lamp and post on Forest Street. A few of the more cutting excerpts:

July 2 Monday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Charles H. Clark, associate on the Library of Humor and editor of the Hartford Courant, thanking him for his “initiation intentions” about his recent honorary masters degree.

I am the only literary animal of my particular sub-species who has ever been given a degree by any College in any age of the world, as far as I know [MTP].

July 20 Friday –Inscribed book sent to Sam: George W. Altemus’ Our Stories, by the School Children of the State of New Jersey (1888): Mark Twain: Best Wishes of Geo. W. Altemus, Jr. 7/20/88 [Gribben 520].

Arthur H. Wright for Webster & Co. wrote to Sam of a somewhat improved bank balances total: $2,656.76 [MTP].

July 24 Tuesday – K.A. Jones wrote from Halifax, Nova Scotia asking Sam to “honor…with a contribution from your pen” a piece for the School of Art & Design’s “World fair.” Sam wrote on the envelope, “No, I won’t” [MTP].

R.B. Westbrook wrote from Pascoag, R.I. to Sam, having rec’d his letter addressed to him at Phila. “I have just written the G.B Lippincotte Company of Philadelphia to send you by mail on my account, one copy of Girard’s Will and Girard College Theology [MTP].

July 25 Wednesday – In Elmira Sam wrote a one-liner to Franklin G. Whitmore he wished copied and sent to William J. Bok, 23 Park Row, New York.

No — no, I would not consent to that [MTP].

July 26 Thursday – Jean Clemens’ eighth birthday. Livy inscribed Robert Niedergesass’ book (in German) Kinderstubengeschichten (1887) [Gribben 508].

July 27 Friday – Andrew Chatto wrote to Sam, encouraging his “experiment” of dictating CY to a phonograph.

I hope you will soon tell the story of Smith of Camelot to Edisons phonograph & let us have it [MTNJ 3: 386n292].

July 28 Saturday – Carl Schoenhof, Boston book importer, wrote a postcard to Sam that his order of July 25 “has reached me and will be attended to in a few days” [MTNJ 3: 391n313]. Sam wrote on the card, “Hasn’t come yet (Sept. 23)” [MTP]. (See Sept. 23.)

July 3 Tuesday – Webster & Co., per Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam that Mr. Burlingame had been there for Scribner’s, examining the Sheridan manuscript, but had not finished; Rollin M. Daggett had sent “rather a sharp letter” from Vacaville, Calif. complaining about his Hawaii book’s delay [MTP].

July 30 Monday – Sam canceled an order for two phonographs with the North American Phonograph Co., a competitor of Edison; the company was unable to fill the order. It was not until 1891 that Sam would use a phonograph to dictate a book, The American Claimant, though ultimately he was not happy with the results [MTNJ 3: 386n292; MTHL 2: 641].

July 31 Tuesday – Herbert S. Philbrick, a boy from Liberty, Maine, wrote to “Huck”:

I like your book and you and Tom Sawyer and Jim. I think you are very plucky and know how to get out of scrapes awful well. I should like to know if you have ever heard any thing of the king and the duke since they were riding by (fence) rail…I wish you would write another book and tell us if Aunt Sally ‘civilized’ you. How old are you? I am thirteen [MTP].

July 4 Wednesday – Sam inscribed a copy of P&P to their New York physician, Clarence C. Rice:

To/ Dr. Clarence C. Rice / with the kindest regards of / The Author. / ~ / July 4, 1888.

July 5 Thursday – Beginning this day through Sept. 5, Sam and Theodore Crane engaged in a “summer pastime,” probably cribbage (the MTP has Sam’s cribbage board) or a card game, for which Sam kept notebook scores; this day 36-9 for Sam [MTNJ 3: 475-6].

J.C. Burkholder, Baptist minister, wrote Sam seeking a donation. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Funny little prim Minister who wants church donation” [MTP].