Tedworth Square - Day By Day

1896- 7 Winter – Several write-ups of an anecdote exist for James Abbott McNeil Whistler being taken in by Mark Twain over a painting. This by Wientraub places it during this winter and does not see it as their first meeting, as some do:

April 10 Saturday – At 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam wrote to Mr. Maxwell (not further identified), approving some unspecified action of Maxwell’s, which Sam thought a good idea: “What do I think of it? I think you did well & wisely” [MTP]. Note: Again this is a reply to an not-extant letter. It would seem that many incoming letters from this London period were not saved.

April 12 Monday – The ledger books of Chatto & Windus show that 1,500 (3s.6d.) additional copies of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were printed , totaling 32,500 [Welland 236].

April 13 Tuesday – London. Sam claimed another “finished” for FE [Apr. 14 to MacAlister]. Note: This was to be only a draft. Sam’s notebook also registered: “London, Apl. 13, ’97. I finished my book today” [NB 41 TS 21].

April 14 Wednesday – At 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus: “Thank you ever so much. The madam wants another one—also a Huckleberry Finn. Will you send them?” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to John Y. MacAlister, that he’d finished his book the day before and that “The Madam edited this stuff out of it—on the ground that the first part is not delicate & that the last part is indelicate.” Would “the boys accept of condemned literature?” [MTP].

April 16 Friday – At 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers, curiously heading it PS but with it’s own dateline, salutation and signoff. Was it intended as part of the Apr. 14 letter to Rogers and mailed at the same time?

April – The April issue of Atlantic Monthly included Charles Miner Thompson’s “Mark Twain as an Interpreter of American Character,” p. 443-50. Tenney: “‘He is not a great or a skillful writer,’ and lacks the taste of an Oliver Wendell Holmes.

April 2 Friday – Munsey’s Magazine included “My Favorite Author and His Best Book,” by William Dean Howells, p. 18-25. Tenney: “Surprisingly, a discussion of many novelists in various periods as favorites; near the end, praises CY as ‘delicious…I feel under all its impossibilities that it is true to the character of that man (Morgan) and true to all the conditions’” [MTJ Bibliographic Issue Number Four 42:1 (Spring 2004) p.7].

April 21 Wednesday – The “Critic’s Competition” in the Hartford Courant, p.8 selected Mark Twain’s “Jumping Frog” tale as one of the best dozen short stories by authors dead or alive. The article asked, “Is that as good a specimen as his ‘A Strange Occurrence?’”

April 22 Thursday – At 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam wrote to Douglas B. Sladen declining an invitation of some sort.

“I do not go anywhere in public, or I should gladly say yes. I am very sorry, for whereas I have so much respect for a mile that I seldom walk one, I would walk five to see Lord Roberts” [MTP].

April 23 Friday – On the day observed and noted by Clemens as William Shakespeare’s birthday (the actual date is unknown), also celebrated as St. George’s day, at 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam wrote to Miss Ethel Newman, thanking her for “those pleasant words.” If she liked such sentiments he sent along a Pudd’nhead Wilson maxim he’d just written for his new book (FE) that day:

April 24 Saturday – At 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam wrote a short note to Chatto & Windus, advising that Bram Stoker would see them on Monday, Apr. 26 between 11 and 12 [MTP].

April 26 Monday – At 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam began a long letter to H.H. Rogers that he finished on Apr. 28. In his May 3 to Frank Bliss, Sam disclosed he’d received “Mr. Rogers’s letter a week ago,” which would have been this day, so it’s likely this long missive to Rogers is a same-day reply.

April 27 Tuesday – At 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam wrote to “Friar” Arthur Spurgeon (1861-1938), declining an invitation to the Whitefriars Club, after changing his mind to make only “several engagements.” He would keep only those and not add any.

I am to dine with Mr. Moberly Bell May 4th, but even if I were free I should avoid adding a public engagement.

You will have a good time. Max O’Rell made a delightful speech that other time, & he will do it again [MTP].

April 28 Wednesday – At 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam finished his Apr. 26 to H.H. Rogers.

The issue of including South Africa in FE had been settled in the affirmative—by Livy:

“Mrs. Clemens urged that you & Bliss were right. She said—but that ain’t any matter. The only thing is, that I have started in on South Africa, & have done two chapters on it & am moving along” [MTHHR 275-6]. Note: See May 3 to Frank Bliss.

April 3 Saturday – Johannes Brahms, composer, pianist died in Vienna.

April 4 Sunday – William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.

“I am very sorry that I cannot read at the Authors’ Guild Entertainment. I long ago decided not to take part in Author’s readings, and there is nothing but your kindly wish, to make me revise this decision in the present case. Yours…” [MTP; not in MTHL].

April 6 Tuesday – At 4 a.m., 23 Tedworth Square in London Sam replied to a not-extant note from John Y. MacAlister.

Ah, but I mustn’t stir from my desk before night, now when the publisher is hurrying me & I am almost through [with FE]. I am up & at work now—4 o’clock in the morning—& a few more spurts will pull me through. You come down here & smoke; that is better than tempting working men to strike & go to tea.

April 8 Thursday – At 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam wrote to James R. Clemens [MTP]. Note: No text is available.

April 9 Friday – Two copies of How to Tell a Story and Other Essays were deposited with the US Copyright Office [Hirst, “A Note on the Text” Afterword materials p.21, Oxford ed. 1996]. Note: the title piece, “How to Tell a Story” ran first in the Oct. 1895 issue of Youth’s Companion. Note: M. Johnson gives Mar. 9 as official publication date.

December 1 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook entry: Slam at Geoffrey Hamlyn [Gribben 374; NB 39 TS 29]. Note: see Jan. 8, 1896 entry about this book of Henry Kingsley. Another entry: Trials of Mutinous Convicts (book) [Gribben 713; NB 39 TS 28]. Note: this is an unidentified book titled, Trials of Mutinous Convicts.

December 12 Saturday – In London Sam wrote to Col. Andrew Burt whom he’d met at Ft. Missoula on the American leg of his world tour. As were most of his letters from this period, the stationery bore a black mourning border.

We are miserable in our oldest daughter’s death. She died while Mrs. Clemens and Clara were flying (a figure of speech) to her across the Atlantic. She would not have died if we had been there [Koelbel 64].

December 13 Sunday Sam’s notebook for this day:

December 18 Friday – In London Sam wrote through Livy to Chatto & Windus.

Will you kindly send me eight cloth copies of “Joan” two of The Prince & Pauper & two of the Yankee at the Court of King Arthur & charge to my account [MTP].

Sam also wrote to H.H. and Emilie R. Rogers, now blaming Hartford people for Susy’s death.

This is a line to wish you Merry Christmas.

December – Sometime during the month Sam wrote through Livy to Chatto & Windus asking if they’d send him Cassell’s Dictionary of Cookery, and charge it to his account [MTP].

Sam also inscribed a copy of Tom Sawyer, Detective (Chatto & Windus 1897) to Bram Stoker: To B.S. from M.T. with warm regards. London, December, 1896 [MTP].