December 27 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam began a letter to William Dean Howells that he finished Dec. 28.
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December 28 Sunday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam finished his Dec. 27 letter to William Dean Howells.
In bed, 8 a.m., Sunday. Katy has just been in to say Jean’s temperature is down to 102.
10 a.m. It is now down to 101 by Clara’s report.
Noon. I am up & dressed, & have been aloft, but Jean could not be disturbed—she was inclined to sleep. I had a glimpse of her. She looks like a survivor of a forest-fire.
December 29 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a long letter to Susan Crane that he added a short pararaph to on Dec. 30.
December 30 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam was allowed to see Livy for nearly four minutes [Dec.31 to Twichell].
Sam also added a short pararaph to his Dec. 29 letter to Susan Crane.
“Dec. 30. 6 a.m—(which is about dawn.) I have been up to Jean’s room, & find all quiet there—Jean sleeping. Miss Tobin whispered, ‘She has had a splendid night.’ The doctor (& Clara) had put in an appearance a couple of times in the night & gone back to bed, finding things going well” [MTP].
December 31 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Saw her for 5 minutes” [NB 45 TS 36].
In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a long letter to Joe Twichell that he added to on Jan. 1, 1903. Sam headed the letter The Last day of a—in some respects—Tough Year being A.D. 1902”:
Riverdale – Lying to the Invalid – Jean to Old Point, Va. – Plasmon Concealments Writing Christian Science Articles – Queen of Frauds – Ordered to Italy “Sell that God damned House!”– Bronchitis Blues – Tarrytown Leased – Collier Offers Godalmighty Bissell Buys Hartford House – Measles! For Clara – Fairhaven Trip Long-Distance House-hunting – Major Pond Dies – Escape to Quarry Farm “A Dog’s Tale”– Yacht Races a Diversion – New Harper Contracts – Sailing For Italy Florence Villa di Quarto – Landlady from Hell – Livy’s Set-back
January – The North American Review included the second installment of Mark Twain’s series, “Christian Science II” (p.1-9) written in 1897-8 in Vienna. The installments ran monthly From Dec. 1902 through the Apr. 1903 issue. A book would result from these articles, though Harpers would delay it till 1907.
January 1 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam added to his long Dec. 31 letter to Joe Twichell:
Jan. 1’03. The doctor did not stay last night. Just as I was beginning to dress for dinner Livy’s nurse came for me, & I saw the patient 4 minutes. She was in great spirits—like 25 years ago.
She has sent me a New-Year greeting this morning, & has had a good night.
January 2 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Emilie R. Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers).
January 3 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote on the top of p. 114 from the Jan. 1903 issue of The Atlantic, “A Song Composed in a Dream” to Susan Crane: Saturday evening.
“We are all doing first-rate, Sue. I talked with Charley. / SLC” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Joe Twichell on the bottom of Bowen’s Jan. 2 note, then adding more on the left margin on Jan. 4. Sam wrote to Joe of the proof:
January 4 Sunday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam added to the Jan. 3 note to Joe Twichell: “Jean & Livy doing finely. Jean no longer in danger” [MTP].
Sam then wrote to Herbert E. Bowen of Harper & Brothers.
It seems to a curious thing—to send me an uncorrected proof.
This has cost me 4 hours’ work—a corrected proof would have saved 3 of them.
January 5 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a note on the reverse side of a Christmas card by Henry W. and Nancy Lucy to Livy dated Dec. 24, 1902: “Mr. Lucy of ‘Punch.’ He is referring to ‘Amended Obituaries,’ Livy dear. I thought he & I invented it at Bryce’s (& I’m right about it, & he is wrong” [MTP].
Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Franklin G. Whitmore.
January 6 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a short poem to Livy:
Good night, sweetheart, good night—
The stars are shining bright,
The snow is becoming turning white,
Dim is the failing light,
Fast falls the glooming night,—
All right!
Sleep tight!
Good-night. / Y. [MTP; Gribben 577-8].
Susan L. Crane wrote to Sam:
January 7 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “1 p.m. Moretti’s 151 W. 34 / Howells to Harry Harland. / 7 p.m. Home. Wright & Kelsey” [NB 46 TS 4]. Sam also added to the nine items listed on Jan. 5: “#10. June 12/02. ‘The Am. Pl. Co’ / $5,000. Endorsed twice ‘the A.P. Co’ / H.E. Wright, General Manager” [ibid. 4-5].
January 8 Thursday – Sam’s notebook : “1 p.m. Lunch to Harry Harland, by Howells; at Moretti’s, 15 W. 34th” [NB 45 TS 36]. Also: “#435. Lincoln, Dec. 4 $500, ‘making $5,500 thus paid in on sub. of $25,000. / Jan. 15, 1903 Am. Pl. Co, $9,500. # 25 / Endorsed, ‘The American Plasmon Co., R.W. Ashcroft, Treasurer.’ #30. Feb. 3 to ‘Pl. Co. of Am’ $10,000 / Endorsed ‘Cr. Plas. Co. of America’ ‘Endorsement guaranteed’ (by ‘5th Ave. Trust Co’.)” [NB 46 TS 5].
January 9 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frank Bliss.
Yes, you can send me an advance, now, of any sum you please; but three or four thousand will answer.
I was at dinner last night at Mr. Rogers’s, & he said you had nothing to fear from the Harpers: “Bliss is a straight man; if they try to make trouble with him, let him call on me & I will prove that they cannot touch him.” He thinks you should go right ahead with the scheme you spoke to me about, & not be afraid [MTP].
January 10 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Mr. Dole (the identical language used in Jan. 9 to Hirsch) declining an invitation and citing Livy’s health [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Frederick W. Peabody.
But aren’t you going to lend me those scraps & scribblings of Mrs. Eddy’s which you offered to lend me? I find I can’t buy such things. I have tried; the Bargain Counter will not take my money—imagines it is spiritual money, but it is not.
January 11 Sunday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam responded to Elisabeth Marbury’s Jan. 10 by writing in the bottom left corner of her letter: “quite willing but must / first know in writing if / Mr. Dillingham is willing. / Communicate with Mr D. & ask him” [MTP].
January 12, before – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to David A. Munro for the North American Review.
Private. If McCrackan appears in the March Number, the above blank should be filled with “April.” I think he is commanded from Goddlemightyburg, up there at Concord, to keep out entirely. Have you heard from him, as to his intentions? [MTP].
January 13 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon. Wrote for Sam to Franklin G. Whitmore [MTP].
Mr. Clemens tells me to write you that “Mrs. Clemens says to sell the house for any thing you can get for it—”
Mrs. Clemens is making visible progress; her pulse has gone down to 87 and stays there, and Mr. Clemens sees her once a day for ten or fifteen minutes.
Jean is very much better, but is not yet allowed to sit up [MTP].
Sam’s notebook: “Dr. Rice, 6.16 train” [NB 46 TS 5].
January 14 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a note to Livy.
Livy dear, there’s a new effect—the sea has come ashore. Water, blown by the wind is crinkling curves & long lines, is frozen white, & a stretch of it is the slope of the grassy hill gives the aspect of a section of green sea with wimpling white-caps chasing each other over it.
I love you dearheart, I love you dearly. / Y
Rice was lovely, and (as Henry Robinson said about Charley Clark) “as funny as a frog” [LLMT 341].
January 15 Thursday – At night in Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a note to Livy:
Ship ahoy! helm-alee! hard aport!—There, steady! let her go off a point!—luff, & bring her to the wind! I’m reading before-the-mast sailor-yarns, dearest, & am full of the salt sea & the great winds & the wonders of the deep. They couldn’t understand me at dinner, they are land-lubbers & ignorant. Sleep well, dearest of the dear—I love you [MTP].
David A. Munro wrote to Sam.
January 16 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Katharine I. Harrison.
The Plasmon Co will send you some Plasmon stock for me. That is what I had to have $10,000 for, & that is why I sold the Union Pacific pf. Do not conceal it from Mr. Rogers. He will think it an unwise investment—still, I want him to know. I shan’t conceal any of my performances from him.
January 17 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Poultney Bigelow.
January 18 Sunday – The New York Times, p.21, “Autographs at Auction” reported various letters sold and prices. Two of Mark Twain’s letters sold: