January 21 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Robert (not further identified) about a court case, unspecified.
There was a charge against me.
One witness was called.
That witness testified.
That settled it.
Counter testimony not desired.
And not asked for.
Case closed. Verdict rendered.
Isn’t it funny? Doesn’t it dazzle? Do you believe God could beat it for intelligence? Right offhand, I mean, & without calling in help?
January 22 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Why be vain of your lineage? All human beings are despicable— emperors & other slaves alike. / Man measures himself by his giants” [NB 46 TS 7].
January 23 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam replied to Thomas Bailey Aldrich’s Jan 22.
January 24 Saturday – Harper’s Weekly ran an anonymous article, “More from Mark Twain about Christian Science,” p.145. Tenney: “Summarizes from the current North American Review the second installment of MT’s writing on Christian Science” [38].
Sam’s notebook: “Send John to 7.11 to bring the Count? / Col & Howells / [Horiz. Line separator] / Prof. B.E. Martin & the etchings / [Horiz. Line separator] / Corpse & box of Guns” [NB 46 TS 8].
January 25 Sunday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote two notes to Livy.
Jan. 25. / Dearest sweetheart, it is a most fine & delicate snowfall & beautiful to watch as it sifts down through the naked branches. And Blennerhasset is enjoying it—goes tearing along the high limbs like a shuttle; & carrying on most gaily. Good-morning, dearest dear heart, I love you dearly. / Y.
January 26 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a note to Livy.
January 27 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam responded to Harper & Brothers’ Jan. 26 inquiry:
I can’t tell very much about the Christian Science volume yet. Because of my interest in it, and of the richness and prodigality of the materials it keeps growing on my hands, and as I like the job I do not try to discourage it.
Sincerely Yours
P.S. I have several applications for this book, one with a guaranteed sale of so many copies. I like that idea, and I wish you would do some ciphering on it yourselves [MTP].
January 28 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Joe Twichell.
P.S. Livy had a slight backset yesterday, so the doctor has just told me he is going to shut off my daily visit for a few days & then reduce it to 8 or 10 minutes a day. It will distress her, & may have an ill effect at first, but later results will show the wisdom of it no doubt.
January 29 Thursday – At 7:30 in N.Y.C. Sam joined a birthday party for H.H. Rogers at the Rogers home. Rogers was 63 [MTHHR 518n2].
Sam’s notebook : “Marquis Lorne, Princess Louise, Prince of Wales (Homburg), Emperor Germany, [Emperor] Russia, [Emperor] Austria” [NB 46 TS 9].
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 30 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Butters, Wright & Kelsey arrive 7.11 p.m. / First visit of these thieves? / [Horiz. Line separator] / We go to the Grand Duchess’s palace to sign the visitor’s book—& what happened!” [NB 46 TS 9]. Note: Sam recalled Feb. 1898 mixup—see Feb. 3, 1898 to Twichell for the story.
Frank Bliss wrote from Hartford to Sam, enclosing a statement (not extant) and draft for $3,375.14 for royalties to Jan. 1 [MTP].
January 31 Saturday – William Oliver Fuller, Jr. (J.O. Fuller, Jr.) wrote to Sam from Rockland, Maine. “Mr Aldrich has sent me your letter commenting upon the newspaper clipping I mailed you. I gather from your letter that you were not pleased with my sorry attempt to joke. The thing on my part arose out of our visit to Mr. Aldrich some months ago and the subsequent fooling over lost umbrellas and slippers—which possibly you recall.” Fuller felt that if he had overdone the joke, then he was apologetic [MTP].
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].
June 1 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote again to Daniel Willard Fiske.
June 10 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “See Duneka. / [Horiz. Line separator] / Also Doubleday lawyer / Doubleday is writing Bliss (W) about $36.50. / [Horiz. Line separator] / See fly-leaf for lawyer’s address” [NB 46 TS 19].
June 11 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Ward Jacobs (in Hartford), one of three major stockholders of the American Publishing Co. arguing for a contract with Collier’s and suggesting again a stockholder’s meeting, which Frank Bliss “does not dare to call” [MTP].
Sam’s notebook: “1271 B’way, dentist. 2 p.m. / [Horiz. Line separator] / Interview with Bliss & Jacobs. No result” [NB 46 TS 19].
June 12 Friday – Sam was in Fairhaven, Mass. to confer with Rogers about business matters relating to Collier’s offers and arranging agreements between Collier’s, Harpers, and the American Publishing Co. Rogers had been recuperating from an appendectomy. Until this date, Livy had not been well enough to allow Sam to leave Riverdale. On June 15 Lyon wrote that Sam “came back this morning from a little visit with Mr.
June 13 Saturday – Sam was in Fairhaven, Mass. staying with the Rogers family.
June 14 Sunday – Sam sent a note and photograph portrait to David A. Munro. “McCracken has been playing sneak & spy in my house, & I have told him so in a letter [not extant] today” [MTP: Stan V. Henkels catalog, Apr. 9, 1931, No. 1452, Item 213]. Note: Sam stuck to his spelling of McCrackan.
Sam’s notebook: “Dinner at Dr. Parry’s to meet ‘Everyman’ / 249 E 32d—7.30” [NB 46 TS 19]. Note: Dr. Parry was a female N.Y.C. doctor who would treat Clara Clemens; see Nov. 7, 1904.
June 15 Monday – In the morning Sam returned from Fairhaven, Mass. where he conferred with H.H. Rogers over business matters (see June 12). Note: there is a seeming conflict here—the Dr. Parry dinner Sam noted was on June 14 while Lyon reported on June 15 he had returned from Fairhaven “this morning” and was tired. Either Sam missed the June 14 dinner; or he went directly to it from Fairhaven and stayed the night in N.Y.C. and then returned the morning of June 15.