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 2 Thursday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to W.L. Howard, thanking for the invitation but declining as he was no longer in the lecture field. After his signature he added, “If I were not permanently tired of travel, I would make that trip; but I hope I have made my last journey” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Laurence Hutton.
May 3 Friday – Sam’s notebook—an appointment and a story idea?: “L. Returns. Harry Harper—3 p.m. | Death by an explosion foretold. Look sharp on a certain date. If you must go out, go straight ahead—turn to the right if you choose, but never to the left. He is headed off from the right once, by a steam fire engine & is chased down to the left. Believes the boiler will explode. At the right moment, dynamite, intended for another, falls at his feet & kills him” [NB 44 TS 9]. Note: Livy returned from Baltimore.
May 4 Saturday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to George B. Harvey. Clemens wanted to include his story “The Death Wafer” to the next volume by Bliss for his collected works. This was “a short story which I think a great deal of, and which I wish to print in the Xmas Harper.” Would it be acceptable for Bliss to print and bind the new volume between now and Christmas, “provided he did not issue a copy before the Xmas Harper was out?” [MTP].
May 6 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “The Osbornes 7.30 850 Madison ave / Ask about gravestones. Sail Sunday 12, or Monday? Invite Twichell & Harvey? Or Corey? Harry Harper proposition” [NB 44 TS 10].
May 7 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Trains leave foot 23d / 10.55 a.m. / 12.55 p.m. / 1.25 / 2.10 / 3.55 p.m. Princeton direct. / Photograph—10.30” [NB 44 TS 10].
Possibly on this day Sam also wrote on a calling card to Dr. Elizabeth Jarrett: “Admit the bearer at any hour in the 24 / SL Clemens” [eBay Mar. 16, 2006, Item 6612597385].
Barbara Mullen wrote to Sam inviting him to speak at her high school. Mullen’s letter is not extant but it is referred to in Sam’s May 20 reply.
May 8 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Dora [Wheeler] Keith the whole day” [NB 44 TS 10].
At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Laurence Hutton in Princeton, N.J.. to announce he was “coming down all alone per 3.55 train to-morrow. The rest of the tribe have to stay here” [MTP].
Hiram Stevens Maxim wrote from London to Sam having received his letter of Apr. 26 (not extant).
May 9 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Read in Princeton. See Jan. 7. Evening. I read: Watermelon/ Dead Man—sash / Mexican Plug / Old Ram / German Lesson” [NB 44 TS 10]. Note: Sam compared with Jan. 7 readings at H.H. Rogers.
Sam wrote a postcard to Dr. Elizabeth Jarrett: “I shall be ready at 1.45./ Very Truly Yours / SL Clemens” [eBay Mar. 16, 2006, Item 6612597385; Valley Auctions 15 Apr. 2007, Lot 792].
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:
May 13 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Story of the Coward who did one stupendously brave deed—& then had to go on all his life in like manner to live up to his reputation. His monument ‘To the Bravest of the Brave’ moves his old friend to reveal his secret to me a stranger. / Satan says, ‘Proud of being a King? Why? He was born to it—he didn’t earn it. Why not be proud of being a coward—it is a talent due wholly to birth’ Put into this Satan’s mouth all that was to have been put into the other Satan’s” [NB 44 TS 10].
May 14 Tuesday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Frank Bliss, including his May 4 to George B. Harvey and Harvey’s reply of the same date: “This is Col. Harvey’s reply. I will ask about the Californian’s Tale—otherwise you must leave it out, for I don’t want it in the book before it appears in the magazines” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote “The Californian’s Tale” in late summer, 1892; the germ of the story was his stay at Angel’s Camp in 1864-5.
May 15 Wednesday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote a PS to an unidentified person, that in reading a form he found the person would have to have his signature notarized; “That’s putting you to too much trouble; therefore I will come down & we will get up some other arrangement” [MTP]. Note: the prior letter that goes with this PS seems to be lost, since it does not fit with recent letters by Twain.
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
210 Self 300.00
May 16 Thursday – Adirondack Park Co. per George V. Duryee wrote to Sam acknowledging his check for $150 and a signed copy of the lease for the camp cabin [MTP].
May 17 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Judson Smith has an impediment in his veracity. / Paraphrase the E.G. Cable make Ament a young lady who publishes her own unchastity. Because she does it in only one cablegram it isn’t worth noticing” [NB 44 TS 11].
May 20 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “2 p.m. Stenographer / John Mackay after 2. 253 B’way” [NB 44 TS 11].
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
114 Whitmore 110.00
At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote on Frank Bliss’ May 15: “Dear Bliss: You have correctly stated the situation (above) as I understand it” [MTP]. Note: See May 15.
May 21 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “May 21. The first time John Mackay has mentioned that $5,000 in all these years. Said he had my vote. A surprise to me. He bought what John P. Jones called a ‘privilege,’ & paid for it. Jones did the same. I owe nothing. The idea of my borrowing money at that time! I had burdens enough without that. It was about 1890” [NB 44 TS 11]. Note: see Sam’s NB entry of July 29, 1890, Vol. II.
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
May 22 Wednesday – Adirondack Park Co. per George V. Duryee wrote to Sam enclosing an inventory of the Camp cabin furniture [MTP].
[Dangling PDF box] [MTP: MS: Anderson Galleries].
May 23 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Mrs. Rogers” [NB 44 TS 11].
At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote a postcard to Channing H. Cook of the American Plasmon Co., N.Y.C. “You were quite right, Dr. Cook. It was Dr. Lockwood“ [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Rudyard Kipling, apologetic he hadn’t been much help in Kipling’s suit against Putnam & Co.
May 25 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Alice Day, dinner” [NB 44 TS 11].
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
216 Consol gas of NY 9.50
May 26 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Roslyn” [NB 44 TS 11].
May 27 Monday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to William Dean Howells after presumably receiving a photograph of Howells inscribed to “Old Clemens.”
May 28 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Wait for Burton Thompson” [NB 44 TS 11]. Note: not identified.
The New York Times, May 29, p 3 reported on a banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria to organize the
Missouri Society of New York:
A MISSOURI SOCIETY NOW
———
Organization in This City Formed at a Banquet.
———
May 29 Wednesday – Sam spent the evening with the Urban Broughtons at their home on 230 W. 72nd Street [MTHHR 462n3: NB 44 TS 12]. Note: On June 3 Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers referring to him not showing at the Broughtons.
May 30 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Mrs. Broughton” [NB 44 TS 11]. Note: Cara Leland Rogers was Mrs. Urban H. Broughton
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
220 dollar watch co 1.00
At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to an unidentified man: “$1 enclosed. /14 W. 10th st May 30. / Dear Sir: