New York City 1900-1901

November 3-5, 1900: The Clemenses visited with William Dean Howells and Laurence Huttons in Princeton, NJ

From November 10th DBD Entry:

The world does move! Mrs. Clemens & the girls have gone off in a hired mobile to the theatre in Harlem. She & I went to Harlem in a coupe three days ago, with a poor tired horse who made less than 4 miles an hour, & it is a pity for the horse that has converted the woman.

Now then, please tell me where in New York we can send & get a mobile at peace-rates when we need one [MTP].

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 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 17 Wednesday – Mark Twain wasted no time upon his return to the U.S. to speak in public. In the evening he spoke at a benefit for the Galveston orphans at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel (of the Sept. 8 -9 hurricane). From the N.Y. Times of Oct. 18.

BAZAAR FOR GALVESTON ORPHANS

Mark Twain Closes the Benefit—Net Receipts Estimated at $25,000

October 18 Thursday – At the Hotel Earlington in N.Y.C., Sam replied to an unidentified man’s request, perhaps a reporter’s for an interview:

I would have done it with great pleasure on “interviewing day,” but I have been saying no, ever since, & it would not be fair to those others to say otherwise this time. Consistency is seldom a virtue, but you will concede that in a case like this it is [MTP]. Note: “Interviewing day” likely being the evening they arrived in port.

October 20 Saturday – Charles Dudley Warner (1829-1900) died of a sudden heart attack in Hartford. He was cheerful earlier in the day at a luncheon. Sam attended his funeral on Oct. 23 [NY Times, Oct. 21, p.1].

October 21 Sunday – At the Hotel Earlington in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Charles H. Clark upon hearing of the death of Charles Dudley Warner the day before:

October 22 Monday – At the Hotel Earlington in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Thomas Bailey Aldrich and Lilian W. Aldrich: “It is lovely of you to welcome us. And it would be lovelier still to see you, which we hope to do tomorrow at poor Warner’s funeral” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to John Kendrick Bangs that after Wednesday he expected some free time from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. “Do you think Mr. Nicholson could do me up in one sitting, or two on a squeeze?” [MTP].

October 23 Tuesday – Samuel Clemens went to Hartford for the funeral of Charles Dudley Warner. Paine writes that Sam was a pallbearer, and also that while in Hartford the Clemenses “looked into the old home” [MTB 1112]. A. Hoffman writes: “Livy stayed in New York; she could not face her Hartford memories” [433]. Sam intended to stay “but an hour or two,” and then return to N.Y.C. The funeral was held at 2 p.m. at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church.

October 24 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Funeral of Charles Dudley Warner” [NB 43 TS 27]. Note: the funeral was Oct. 23 at 2 p.m.

Sam also wrote to Charles Hopkins Clark [MTP]. UCCL 12759 letter not available.

October 25 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “10.30—11.30. Nichols—portrait” [NB 43 TS 27]. Note: Nicholson; see Oct. 22 entry.

At the Hotel Earlington in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Mary Benjamin (1879-1956), who was about to marry H.H. Rogers, Jr. (Harry Rogers).

October 26 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Dine with Dunham?” [NB 43 TS 27].

At the Hotel Earlington in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Sylvester Baxter, who had attended Warner’s funeral in Hartford on Oct. 23.

October 27 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Carnegie Hall Livy to go. 57th & 7th ave.” [NB 43 TS 27]. Note: see further down in entry for the Woman’s Press Club Tea.

At the Hotel Earlington in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Vernon L. Bean in Chicago.

“And so that pet scheme of mine has succeeded again. It has never once failed—& for a very good reason: no lazy, dull, commonplace, characterless youth is man enough to try it.

October 28 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “MEAT EXTRACT / London Syndicate ought to add £100,000 themselves & make a Co of £100,000 with a cash working capital of £70,000, payable in 25% instalments as required” [NB 43 TS 27].

October 29 Monday 

October 30 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “See Chas. Frohman / or Rosenfeld 289 4th ave. / Write Sraus on Authors Club. / See Metro bank & leave check & signatures” [NB 43 TS 28]. Note: a collaboration between Sydney Rosenfeld and Mark Twain on a comedy play had been initiated in Vienna on Apr. 22, 1898, and a meeting took place on Oct. 22 of this year between Charles Frohman, Rosenfeld, and Twain.

October 31 Wednesday – At the Hotel Earlington in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Channing H. Cook. “Dr. Cook / General Manager: / I discover no error in the remarks concerning Plasmon. They are as I worded them” [MTP]. Note: this was included in Sam’s Oct. 31 to MacAlister (below) “to be presently distributed as an ad.”

Sam also wrote to John Y. MacAlister, transcribing the note to Cook (above):

This following is to precede a brief interview concerning Plasmon, to be presently distributed as an ad.

November – In New York City, Sam inscribed a copy of Mark Twain’s (Burlesque) Autobiography and First Romance to: Ernest D. North: “E.D. North, Esq. Mark Twain November, 1900” [MTP: Parke-Bernet Galleries catalog, Oct. 27, 1953, No. 1458, Item 173].

November 1 Thursday – In the afternoon the Clemens family moved into 14 W. 10th Avenue in N.Y.C.  [Note: subsequent entries have 1410 W. 10th]

Sam wrote to Frank Bliss.

“Dear Bliss: Do you remember that large photo by Barnett, London? Were you to send it to Mr. Rogers after engraving it? Did you do it? Above is our new address. We are to move in this afternoon. Make a note of it. Yrs. S.L. Clemens” [MTP]. Note: the new address was 14 W. 10th, N.Y.C. H. Walter Barnett, photographer.

November 2 Friday – At 14 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to William Webster Ellsworth: “All right— make it Dec. 4—Aldine—good time—no reporters” [MTP].

Sam also replied to Andrew Langdon (1835- 1919), Livy’s first cousin. Langdon was a wealthy Buffalo businessman. In 1887 Clemens had made him the subject of an uncomplimentary sketch, “Letter from the Recording Angel” (see What Is Man?, etc.).

November 3 Saturday – Sam and Livy (and possibly one or both of their daughters) took a train by 10:55 a.m. and traveled to Princeton, N.J.. for a two day visit with the Laurence Huttons [Oct. 31, Nov 7 to Hutton]. Note: it is possible they took in a ball game if they arrived early enough (mentioned in Sam’s Oct. 31 to Hutton; Sam planned to attend a football game on a return trip Nov. 16-18).

November 4 Sunday – The Clemenses visited with the Laurence Huttons in Princeton, N.J..

William Dean Howells, nearby at 115 E.16th Street, wrote to Thomas Bailey Aldrich, remarking on how good Clemens looked:

November 5 Monday – Before leaving Princeton, N.J.., Sam inscribed Laurence Hutton’s copy of The Celebrated Frog of Calaveras County to: Laurence Hutton: “Prosperity & happiness to Laurence Hutton from his friend Mark Twain—Nov. 5, 1900.” Dated by Hutton on the fly-leaf, “Apr 21/70” [MTP: M.E. Wood, Laurence and Eleanor Hutton: Their Books of Association, 1905, p.129].

November 6 Tuesday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Brander Matthews.

Dang it, I’m in Princeton 16th, 17th, & 18th to umpire the football game.

Gimme another chance!

Of course dedicate to me, if you will do me that honor. I shall be glad & proud [MTP]. Note: Gribben identifies the dedicated work as Matthews’ 1901 book, The Historical Novel and Other Essays [459].

November 7 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Harry Rogers at Mr. Benjamins, 46 E 74th 4.30. / Send de luxe— lower than Charley to Miss Mary Benjamin,—write a note” [NB 43 TS 28].

Henry Huddleston (Harry) Rogers, Jr. married Mary Benjamin [MTHHR 743]. Note: Sam’s NB entry reveals he attended the wedding at the Benjamin home, and gave a deluxe set of his books.

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Laurence Hutton.