New York City 1900-1901

March 19 Tuesday – Henry C. Klinke of Cleveland, Ohio wrote to Sam (only the env.survives) [MTP].

March – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote a list of things for Frank Bliss, about the Uniform Edition, Harper’s and the R.G. Newbegin Co., which handled distribution of the Uniform Edition for the American Publishing Co. Newbegin advertised themselves as “sole agents in the United States for the complete works of Mark Twain.”

10, 000 sets pay you and me $100,000? Divided how? I get $65,000 & you the rest?

===

March 2 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “See Feb. 23. All right—this is the date. But the hour is 6.30” [NB 44 TS 6]. Fatout lists this dinner speech by Mark Twain at the University City Club, but offers no text or particulars [MT Speaking 668].

The New York Times, p BR 14, ran this squib:

March 20 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Opera Harvey” [NB 44 TS 7].

The Minneapolis Tribune, p.1 ran the political cartoon (insert); top caption: “The Best Joke Yet”; bottom caption: “The G.O.P. ‘Wow! Yah! Yah! Ho! Ho! Oh, wow! M-M-Mark you—Oh, Lordy! You always was a funny fellow.’”

March 21 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Henry Holt 7.30 711 Madison Ave” [NB 44 TS 7].

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to John White Alexander:

“Is it strictly private, & no reporters? If so, that’s in my line. Am I too impudent?” [MTP]. See Aug. 10, 1888.

James L. Hickok of Binghamton, N.Y. wrote to Sam requesting a lecture to help raise funds for a public library [MTP].

March 22 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Have asked Mr. Dodge to dinner. | Dickson et al 10.30 Benj. Curtis at 10.45” [NB 44 TS 7].

The New York Times ran claims of libel against Mark Twain, p.16:

DEMAND THAT TWAIN RETRACT.

———

Missionaries Say Statement by Him in The North American Review Is Libelous.

March 23 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Odell dinner, Lotos Club? 9.45 do? I’ve an engagement” [NB 44 TS 7].

Once again, Sam gave a dinner speech, arriving too late to dine, which allowed him to avoid a lot of rich food and a lot of clatter and noise. The New York Times, Mar. 24, p.2, ran a full article on the event at the Lotos Club in honor of Governor Benjamin Barker Odell, Jr. (1854-1926) (Article below edited to include only the introductory paragraphs and Mark Twain’s speech):

March 24 Sunday – Sam’s notebook:

“Get a box—$6. 3 p.m. Carnegie Concert” [NB 44 TS 7]. See ad insert.

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to John Y. MacAlister in London. George Harvey was sailing for London and had invited Sam to cross with him. Sam’s letter introduced Harvey to MacAlister. “Tell him how the Plasmon business is going, won’t you?” he wrote. Sam noted that H.H.

March 25 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Stenographer 2.30. Dinner to Harvey 7.30 University Club” [NB 44 TS 7].

The Clemenses heard that Frederic William Henry Myers died in Rome. He was the founder and president of the Society for Psychical Research in Cambridge, England

Unidentified (“Many Students”) wrote from N.Y.C.:

March 26 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “10.30, Joan of Arc (Jules E[ckert] Goodman)” [NB 44 TS 7].

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Laura Fitch McQuiston (1863- 1935) in Fort Hancock, N.J. Sam extended his “deepest sympathy,” but he had “never had an experience which moved me to believe the living can communicate with the dead,” though he and Livy had and would continue to “experiment in the matter when the opportunity offered.”

March 27 Wednesday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Frank Bliss.

March 28 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Have asked Bigelow to dinner. Mrs. Koller (see 27th ) Empire Theatre 2.15 p.m. Miss Gibley, 6.50 / Duneka said, ‘Go on just as if the clause was abrogated. I cannot say it will be abrogated, but there will be no bother resulting[’] ” [NB 44 TS 7-8].

March 29 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Boys’ Debate 576 Lexington Av. Cor 51st. Ask Poultney. 1 Lex; (Park Av. Hot.) Gilder; Exercises begin 8.15 ‘English as She is Wrote.’ In my lower drawer. Miss Margt P. Pascal, Prest. I am to say few words after the Boys’ debate” [NB 44 TS 8]. Note: Margaret Pascal taught primarily immigrant children, and worked with George T.

March 3 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Taught dog the Morse alphabet” [NB 44 TS 6].

N.E. Guyot wrote from Cripple Creek, Colo. agreeing with his “Sitting in Darkness” article.

March 30 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Y.M.C.A. 52 E 23d Carriage at 9.45” [NB 44 TS 8]. Sam gave a talk in the evening for the Poughkeepsie Eastman Club at the YMCA. The New York Times, Mar. 31, p.2, reported the talk:

MARK TWAIN TELLS OF HIS BUSINESS VENTURES

———

”To Succeed, Avoid My Example,” Is His Axiom, He Says.

———

Confides to the Poughkeepsie Eastman

March 31 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “(To-day, was it?) Turned over to Harry Harper, for the firm, the dramatic business of Joan of Arc, they to attend to every detail including collections, & reserve 15 per cent of the results as commission” [NB 44 TS 8].

March 4 Monday – In N.Y.C., Sam replied to Gilbert A. Tracy’s Feb. 27 letter.

“Although you, in charity and kindness for a busy man, have forborne to require an answer, I cannot deny myself the pleasure of saying, out of my heart, I thank you” [MTP]. Note: Tracy, of Putnam, Conn. later published Uncollected Letters of Abraham Lincoln (1917); he claimed to have known Lincoln well.

March 5 Tuesday – Edwin A. Brenholtz of Turnersville, Tex. wrote to Sam with a clear and elegant hand, calling him “The Voice” and complimenting “Sitting in Darkness” [MTP]. Note: Sam replied Mar. 18.

Waterman of Cambridge, Mass. wrote from Montreal to compliment “Sitting in Darkness” [MTP].

March 6 Wednesday – Charlotte R. Conover (Mrs. Frank Conover) of Dayton, Ohio wrote for the Young Woman’s League asking “something from the pen of Mark Twain” for their fund-raising bazar [MTP].

Walter Hines Page wrote to Sam on letterhead from Doubleday, Page & Co., Publishers with “The World’s Work” as a motto:

March 7 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Jessie A. Fowler, 10.30. Californian’s Tale. Sloan’s Thurs Eve. Club 9 p.m. Cromwell & Abby” [NB 44 TS 6].

March 8 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Possible engagement” [NB 44 TS 7].

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore. Once again a bill had been presented by Pratt & Whitney for a portion of the Chicago plant which took on the Paige typesetter. Sam ordered him to “resist the claim, through the Robinson boys or as good a law-firm” [MTP].

Sam also telegrammed Whitmore, message not extant but mentioned in Whitmore’s Mar. 9 to Sam.

March 9 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Grand Opera House—8.15. 23d St & 8th Ave” [NB 44 TS 7]. Note: The Metropolitan Opera House advertised the Grand Opera Season 1900-1901. “TO-NIGHT, at 8, at Popular Prices. Double Bill.—I PAGLIACCI (in Italian.). Miss Fritzi Scheff; MM. Salignac, Pini-Corsi, and Scotti. To be followed by CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA (in Italian.) Mmes. Gadski and Louise Homer; MM. Campanari and Cremonini. Conductor, Flon” [New York Times, 9 Mar. 1901, p. 16].

May 1 Wednesday – In the evening from 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Katharine I. Harrison that H.H. Rogers had approved of a purchase of Chicago & Alton preferred stock in the amount of $10,000. “Therefore,” he wrote, “I am prepared to send you the check at any moment you require it” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Edward W. Ordway, secretary of the Anti-Imperialist League.

May 10 Friday – At Princeton University, Sam made a few remarks at the Harvard-Princeton debate [Fatout, MT Speaking 669].

May 11 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “See Jan. 7 . Will send carriage 1.45 the Sherman, 159 W. 48th. Dr. Elizabeth Jarrett. Normal College Chapel along aobut 3—68th & Park Ave. Read or talk. German Lesson” [NB 44 TS 10].

Mark Twain spoke at Normal College (renamed in 1914 Hunter College , after its founder Thomas Hunter) and spoke to 1,500 alumni of the school. The New York Times, May 12, p.21 reported his talk: