Riverdale-on-the-Hudson DBD

February 25 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “The Mayor’s dinner to H.R.H. Prince Henry of Prussia / Metropolitan Club 6.30. Train 5.24—arr 5.55” [NB 45 TS 4]. Note: the dinner was Feb. 26. See entry.

February 26 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to George B. Harvey.

From a competent source I have an offer for the Newbegin contract (which I now control) of $250,000 guaranty for 5 years: $100,000 to be cash in advance to cover the first two years. Naturally I wish the offer had come from you. I cannot know if you would care to duplicate it, but you will tell me as to that; & it will be a favor to me if you will tell me as quickly as you conveniently can [MTP]. Note: See Feb. 15.

February 27 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Laurence Hutton, that H.H. Rogers thought they should leave on their five-six week West Indies cruise on Mar. 10 or 11, probably on Mar. 10, and that he should not fail to be ready, as “that voyage will do your health a world of good” [MTP]. Note: Sam also asked Hutton to simply address him at “New York City” and crossed out “Riverdale on the Hudson” letterhead. On Mar.

February 28 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Krause Dinner / Brander Matthews—1.30 p.m. 681 West End Ave cor. 93d street” [NB 45 TS 4].

Alvey Augustus Adee wrote to Sam on Department of State, Washington letterhead (Second Asst. Secretary). He had learned from George Iles that Sam had no copy of 1601, and so made two copies from his own copy and enclosed one, the other going to Iles [MTP]. Note: Iles had visited on Feb. 17.

February 3 Monday – In. N.Y.C. William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.

I have Mr. Skrine’s book; but I am switched off from my North American Reviewing to paragraphing and article letting for the Weekly, and I don’t know what to do for your friend. I can’t write any more than I’m doing now; but I will tackle the book, and see if I can’t get something out of it for the “Easy Chair.” But I mustn’t promise. Skrine seems all kinds of a good fellow.

February 4 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frank Bliss.

“There is a chance for you to buy Newbegin’s contract & sell it to another man at what seems to be a tall figure. When you come here to talk with me about it give me notice by telegraph or telephone (150 Kingsbridge) the day before” [MTP]. Note: R.G. Newbegin Co. had distribution rights for the American Publishing Co.’s version of Mark Twain’s Uniform Edition.

February 5 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam turned down an invitation from Arthur H. Dakin at the University Club in Boston (Incoming not extant).

I should enjoy it ever so much if I were younger & gayer, but I am at that lazy stage of life when one does not leave the chimney corner except under compulsion of the sheriff. And so, I can only return my earnest thanks for the honor done me by the invitation, & stay by the fire & dream dreams & nurse my senilities [MTP].

February 6 Thursday – Frederick A. Duneka of Harpers wrote to Sam.

Your letter of yesterday [not extant] has come to me and I beg to say that the reason why no mention of the 6-vol. set was made in your statement is because these books are being sent out to agents and others under an installment arrangement. This means that because of cancellations of orders and because of returns, these books have not reached the stage yet where they can appear in any account (as sales) as a basis for payment of royalty.

February 7 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam added to the Feb. 5 letter to Francis H. Skrine.

February 8 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam replied to Frederic Remington’s query of Feb. 7. Sam did not remember the names, but he knew there had been newspapers at St. Joseph and Independence, Mo. some 50 years before. He recommended Remington check the Mercantile Library in St. Louis [MTP].

Sam went into N.Y.C. where he spoke to the Vassar Alumnae [Feb. 10 to Marbury].

February 9 Sunday – The New York Times, p.8, “Society at Baltimore,” reported:

Miss Lelia Gittings of Baltimore is visiting Mrs. Samuel L. Clemens (the wife of Mark Twain) at her home at Riverdale-on-the-Hudson. [Note: see inscription to Gittings Apr. 29, 1898 entry].

January 1 Wednesday – Sam went to N.Y.C. and stopped at the Rogers’ home. He “found only one little chappy on deck,” and wrote the following day to wish the family Happy New Year [Jan. 2 to Rogers].

January 10 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frank Bliss, explaining his grievance against the Boston publisher Small & Maynard, and the letters he’d sent Jan. 9 to the 25 writers to determine which twelve had agreed to be contributors:

The publishers, without my consent, used my name to help advertise a book to which I had neither contributed nor been asked to contribute.

January 11 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a postcard to Ernest Howard Crosby of the New York Anti-Imperialist League, N.Y.C. “Make it 11 a.m. any day, but give me 24 hours’ notice by post, so that I may make no interfering arrangement” [MTP].

January 12 Sunday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to William Dean Howells after receiving some poetry from Hydesaburo Ohashi, which he evidently enclosed here.

Say—Howells, don’t you want to discover a Japanese poet & introduce him to the public? It seems to me that his lines about the moon are poetry; also that the satire in the closing lines of the first paragraph exhibits a smart & calculated reserve not found every day in a beginner. …

January 13 Monday – Joe Twichell sent Sam a “Yale Alumni Association” printed notice about the Jan. 31 dinner. Joe lined through the bottom section which referred to price, and wrote “there’s no exploitation of M.T. in this, you see / Joe” [MTP].

January 14 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Edward W. Ordway in N.Y.C. “I only want to write. But that I shall get the time is not likely. I did hope I was going to get it, but that was a dream” [MTP]. Note: Ordway was active in the Anti-Imperialist League and had pulled some sort of vague promise from Sam to write a piece for the cause.

Sam also wrote to Howard E. Wright of the American Plasmon Co.:

January 15 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “G.H. Crosby, 11 a m / Go to Mr. Rogers, dinner” [NB 42 TS 2]. Note: This is likely E.H. Crosby, not G.H., (Ernest Howard Crosby) active in the Anti-Imperialist League.

Samuel Lloyd Osbourne (1868-1947) wrote to Sam.

Lambs Club / New York City / Dear Mr. Clemens,

January 16 Thursday – Fatout lists a “talk or reading” for Sam at the Civic Club in Riverdale for this date [MT Speaking 669]. Note: though no particulars are given, a listing in Sam’s NB for 8.15 names the Club [NB 45 TS 2].

January 17 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Engaged at home” [NB 45 TS 2].

January 18 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Daniel Carter Beard.

I cannot tell you how much I like the pictures; I think you have not made better nor bitterer ones, nor any that were redder with the bloody truth. As to the book, I cannot make an estimate, for I was not able to steal time for a careful & searching examination, uninterrupted, of even a single chapter, and necessarily I would not permit myself to have an opinion without that.

January 19 Sunday – Alletta F. Dean wrote to Sam. Paine gives us backstory and quotes Dean’s letter:

“The Double -Barrelled Detective Story,” [In Jan. and Feb. 1902 Harper’s] intended originally as a burlesque on Sherlock Holmes. It did not altogether fulfill its purpose, and is hardly to be ranked as one of Mark Twain’s successes. It contains, however, one paragraph at least by which it is likely to be remembered, a hoax—his last one—on the reader. It runs as follows:

January – Sam inscribed a copy of Songs of Nature (1901) by John Burroughs (1837-1921): “S.L. Clemens, Riverdale, Jan. 1902” [Gribben 117]. Note: Burroughs was a naturalist and essayist important to the movement of conservation in the U.S. His books were enormously popular in his day. He was voted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1905.

January 2 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Horace N. Allen, American Minister to Korea:

“It is a beautiful box, & I cannot tell you how much I prize it and thank you for it.

With my kindest regards to you & the boys…” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to H.H. Rogers.

Jaccaci, of McClure’s came up yesterday, and said Miss Tarbell would be only too glad to have both sides, and I told him she could have free access to the Standard Oil’s archives.

January 20 Monday – The Clemenses left Riverdale, N.Y. and traveled by train to Elmira, where they were met with sleighs by Charles J. and Ida Langdon; and then on to Quarry Farm outside of town. There, Sam began a letter to daughter Clara that Livy added to on Jan. 21.