May 7 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Train 6.40—arr. 7.9. / Dinner here—7.30. Robt. McClure & Jaccaci” [NB 45 TS 12]. Note: August F. Jaccaci, art director for McClure’s Magazine.
Blanche E. Weekes wrote from Baltimore to Sam.
I send you by this mail a copy of the dramatisation of your book “Prince and Pauper.” I hope it will meet with your approval, and can find enough merit to permit it submitted to a manager.
May 8 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Dine with the Halls” [NB 45 TS 12]. Note: Frederick J. Hall, Sam’s old partner at C. L Webster & Co. The Halls had visited the Clemenses at Dollis Hill in Sept. 1900.
Livy’s diary: “Mr John Quincy Adams, Mr George de Forest Brush, Mr Duncan, Miss Grace Dodge, Miss May Dodge & Miss [Anne] Sedgwick here for tea. We dined with Mr & Mrs Henry Hall” [MTP: DV161].
May 9 Friday – Sam’s notebook entry consists of a list of possible readings, though no appearance for this date has been found; “Death of Mary / Tearing down the stable / Watermelon / Dead man / Getting measles / Conspiracy” [NB 45 TS 12]. Note: it is possible Sam did a reading at the Gilder reception mentioned below:
Livy’s diary: “Dined with Mr & Mrs Chapin; went to Mrs Gilder’s reception in the evening” [MTP: DV161].
November 1 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Gerding. — Sam Moffett Lincoln Bank” [NB 44 TS 16]. Note: Charles Gerding, Jr. obtained a judgment against Isaac K. Funk of Funk & Wagnalls publishing. Funk had reorganized the Eastern Tennessee Land Co. in 1894, which had originally been formed in 1889 to establish a prohibition settlement. Charles Gerding, Sr. was at one time employed by the Co.
November 10 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Return—11.35—12.30. / Bram Stoker, lunch Irving, dinner, 7, Players—Riggs Last train, 10.45” [NB 44 TS 17]. Note: entry suggests Sam stayed in town after the King’s Birthday celebration at Delmonico’s, had lunch and dinner, and took the last train back to Riverdale.
November 11 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Jos. Johnson—10-11. / What is the difference between an optimist of 50 & a fool? Do not know of any” [NB 44 TS 17].
November 12 Tuesday – W.B. Forster Bonall (Borrill?) for The Echo (London) wrote to Sam: “Would you mind if I interviewed you from a distance about humor?” He was trying to make his paper pay but admitted “it’s hard work” [MTP]. Note: “last name doubtful”
November 13 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Anti-Imp. League—501-Fifth Ave, cor. 42d—4 p.m. rooms of Mr. Forney” [NB 44 TS 17]. Note: Sam attended a meeting of officers of the Anti-Imperialist League of New York. His participation is also mentioned in a news release about the meeting circulated later by Edward W. Ordway [Zwick email Oct. 20, 2007].
November 15 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Carey & portraits of Wash &c. / Why’nt you go to hell?—no Irish there/ A lie is an abomination [U] / Faith is believing what y’ know ain’t so. [U] / The callant died [?] / Pate de fois gras / May yr hon live till y’ collect it. [C] / The lost trunk—French [C] / What streets have you? [U] / We’ll see two cubs—/ He won’t let me go to par when he can get me at 30 off. [U] / Lightning bug & lightning / Josh” [NB 44 TS 17].
November 16 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frank Fuller.
“With the enfeebling big adjective squelched & the commendation strengthened by the substitution of a smaller one I think the remark will now do to print.
“Excuse brevity & haste—I am crowding a piece of work to a finish today” [MTP].
November 17 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Like dew on the gowan lying is you specialty. / Lord Rector of Glasgow—rectors are ecclesiastical only—if its a good salary I shall run for it. Ancient & Honorable Artillery” [NB 44 TS 18].
Theodore Weld Stanton (1851-1925) wrote from Paris on Harper’s letterhead
I landed here last week after a most delightful passage. I never in fact had a more pleasant one. We were nearly, within a half hour, making the shortest eastern passage.
November 18 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Embalm—bury—cremate, if these fail, try dissection. Extravagant enough in American form—in original Scotch form more so. Unconscious: chance juxtaposition of quaint or grotesque incongruous elements” [NB 44 TS 18].
November 19 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Conscious humor. Intentional juxtaposi can be wit in unconscious but not in conscious—the word indicates an intellectual effort. Man put 2 expediting stamps on letter he wanted it to go in a great hurry. Irish? No (Bub) | Goldsmith says: For thy sake I admit that a Scot may have humor—I’d almost said wit. | Does the text mean 1.
November – In Riverdale, N.Y., Sam wrote on a letter by his real estate broker, George W. Reeves, who had just sold the Hartford home: “He started in to bilk me, & did it” [MTP: Am. Art Assoc.-Anderson Galleries catalogs, Apr. 24-5, 1935 Item 58].
At the top of a circular from Harper & Brothers, Sam wrote an answer: “Ever so many thanks for the books. If I could get time I’d like to review the one on the raising of babies…” [MTP: Am. Art Assoc.-Anderson Galleries catalogs, Apr. 24-5, 1935 Item 58].
November 2 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Introduce a speaker?” [NB 44 TS 16]. Note: may refer to Nov. 7.
November 20 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Miss Hart (not further identified): “I am very glad indeed to comply” [MTP].
November 21 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Andrew Carnegie about speaking at the Sons of Scotland banquet at Delmonico’s on Nov. 30.
I find I am to be there. Mrs. Clemens came in, a minute ago, and furnished the information. If I had had another 18 hours I could have made up my mind myself. At bottom I am afraid of religious banquets, but now that the matter is settled I am not feeling so worried as I was.
November 23 Saturday – William Dean Howells replied to Sam’s Nov. 21.
That Baker letter is indeed precious: he could use an old people’s home all by himself. The spelling, spirit and expression all go together. I wish Keats could have lived to hear of “a town of beauty and a joy forever.” But we must not expect everything.
November 24 Sunday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus, requesting sheets for “The Californian’s Tale,” which he meant to publish in Harper’s Monthly [MTP].
November 25 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Delmonico, 7. Harvey. To reconstruct Harper’s Weekly & save its life. Still with Bangs for editor? Go to! P.S. The result not promising” [NB 44 TS 18]. Note: John Kendrick Bangs.
November 26 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Could take 6.46. Don’t | Leave by 7.27—arrive 7.55. 8 p.m. Waldorf— big ball room. Mr. Stokes (Fred). N. England Soc. Return, 11.35 (Next & last, is 12.30)” [NB 44 TS 18].
November 27 Wednesday – Livy’s 56th birthday. Sam inscribed in Hawthorn and Lavender, with Other Verses, to Livy: “To / Mrs. Olivia L. Clemens—Nov. 27, 1871 or 2—Upon the occasion & celebration of one of her early birth-days, when she did not mind them so much. / from SLC. / Riverdale-on-Hudson / Nov. 1901” [MTP: TS of inscription in Hawthorn and Lavendar, with Other Verses; Gribben 308].
November 28 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Livy wrote for Sam to George Austin Morrison, informing him that Sam would not be able to get to the Banquet of St. Andrew’s Society until 9:30 and “slip into his seat at the President’s table before the speeches begin” [MTP].
November 29 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “At the Library—8 p.m. politician / a May engagement—see May 29” [NB 44 TS 19]. Note: May 29 only mentions Mrs. Urban H. Broughton.
In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam signed a typewritten note to Mrs. Sol Baerlein, (Lottie Kohner Baerlein, d.1920) declining an invitation [MTP: Scott J. Winslow Assoc. catalog, June 16, 1999, Item 80]. Note: Sol Baerlein published poetry in the yearbook of the Celibates Club.
November 30 Saturday – Sam’s 66th Birthday. Sam’s notebook: “St. Andrews—Delmonico’s, 7. Carnegie— ‘& speak on what is supposed not to exist—Scotch Humor’ See Nov. 15. Shall arrive there 9.30 prompt” [NB 44 TS 19].
Sam inscribed in an unknown work to Livy: “To Olivia L. Clemens, in passing notice of this day, which lands another year upon the already overburdened back of her loving husband. S.L. Clemens. Riverdale-on-Hudson. Nov. 30, 1901” [MTP].