Back to Riverdale DBD

November 24 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote two notes to Franklin G. Whitmore, the first per Isabel Lyon.

Mr. Clemens asks me to write you to “poke up” Dr. Porter with regard to the property question.

November 25 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a draft of a letter to Frederick C. Harriott in response to Howells’ urging of Nov. 24.

November 26 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Carl Thalbitzer, a Danish writer, who, after reading “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg,” wrote to Sam on Nov. 13 asking if Sam put his personal views into such stories.

November 27 Thursday – Livy’s 57th birthday.

Harry Freeman wrote from NY to Sam offering an “obituary” for his Harper’s Weekly contest [MTP].

Georg Becker wrote from Berlin, Germany (in German) offering an “obituary” for his Harper’s Weekly contest [MTP].

W.T. Leslie wrote from NY to Sam offering an “obituary” for his Harper’s Weekly contest [MTP].

November 28 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Train at 7.07. / 7.07 / Birth-day, dinner (not the 29th or 30th) Train leaves here at 7.07. / Wounds our conventions rather than our convictions. The convictions of one age are the conventions of the next” [NB 45 TS 34]. Note: evidently there had been some changes of the birthday dinner date; Sam entered a few things to say at the event in his Nov. 30 NB entry, and specified there it was to be the 29th; it wound up being this day. The 29th he was in Elmira at his niece’s wedding. The Nov. 30 entry:

November 29 Saturday – In Elmira, Sam, Jean Clemens and likely Katy Leary, attended an evening wedding in the Langdon home between his niece Julia Olivia Langdon (Julie) (1871-1948) and Edward Eugene Loomis (1864-1937) [Nov. 30 to Livy]. Note: Loomis was the First Vice President of the Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad.

November 3 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Rehearsal, 10.30 a.m. carry play & check for house money. Tailor, Emery, 246 – 5th ave. ” [NB 45 TS 33]. Note: The play rehearsal was Lee Arthur’s HF, arranged by Dillingham; see Nov. 7 NB and prior entries. The 1900 Biographical directory of the state of New York lists Edwin W. Emery, Tailor at that address in N.Y.C.

November 30 Sunday – Sam’s 67th Birthday. He wrote from Elmira to Livy, with a proviso to daughter Clara at the top of the letter. “Clara dear, this is to your mother, but you must not risk showing it to her without reading it first yourself.”

November 4 Tuesday – An account told by Norman Hapgood in his 1930 The Changing Years, has been pinned to a period Nov. 4 to 10, 1902, by the NY Sun of Nov. 5, 1902, p.9, “Eleonora Duse Here Again,” and by other New York newspapers, including: See insert ad, Friday Nov. 9, 1902. Hapgood writes:

November 5 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote two notes (one per Isabel Lyon) to Franklin G. Whitmore, both about plans to come and view the HF play by Lee Arthur at Parson’s Theatre in Hartford; and the guests he wished to be there [MTP]. Note: Livy’s worsening condition prevented him from making the trip—see Nov. 9 to Whitmore.

November 6 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Eleanor V. Hutton (Mrs. Laurence Hutton).

November 7 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Mr. Griswold. “I shall be very glad indeed to do it. You forgot to enclose the piece of paper. You will best know the size & kind of paper you desire, so I will wait, if I may, until I hear from you again” [MTP].

November 8 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “New York / ‘Huck Finn’ / Mark Twain League man 5 p.m. here. / WEDDING 3 / Books should bear all the copyrights—Webster Dic. / Can Mrs. C. or heirs renew?” [NB 45 TS 33]. Note: neither the MT League man nor the wedding notation (3 p.m.?) are identified, though the latter may refer to Julia Langdon’s pleading letter for him to come to her wedding on Nov. 29 in Elmira..

November 9 Sunday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Charles Bancroft Dillingham, whom he had planned to accompany to Hartford to see the first performance of Lee Arthur’s HF play.

October 15 Wednesday – The Clemens family and Sue Crane left York Harbor, Maine about 9 a.m. utilizing an “invalid car.” They rode to a point south of Boston, then on to N.Y.C., arriving at 5:40 p.m. 20 minutes more brought them by special engine to Riverdale, N.Y. at about 7 p.m. [Oct. 16 to Hutton; Oct. 16 Jean Clemens to Sewell; Oct. 19 to Crane]. Sam thought Livy arrived in “pretty good physical condition” [Oct 18 to MacAlister].

October 16 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam’s notebook: “Yesterday [Oct. 15] we left York in a special invalid car at 8.45 & came through to Riverdale without delay or change in 9 ½ hours. Special locomotive at both ends. Cost, $339 ” [NB 45 TS 31].

Sam replied to an invitation by Laurence Hutton, in Princeton, N.J.

Yes, if you are sure you can provide cap, gown & hood for me, I will leave mine at home & save baggage-space. But mind, I shall depend on you.

October 17 Friday – Sam’s notebook : “Signed for 250 shares ($25,000) in the American Plasmon Co at 110-122 Broad st. I had previously paid in $5,000, which was the first call. Mr. Wright was there & Mr. Butters came pretty soon” [NB 45 TS 31]. Note: Howard E. Wright then President of the American branch, would later resign under a cloud of fraud. Henry A. Butters, an officer in the co.

October 18 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Edward W. Bok. “I wish I could, but I can’t, as I am barred by existing contracts” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to John Y. MacAlister.

October 19 Sunday – On this day (or the same date in 1901; see entry) Sam wrote a letter to an unidentified publisher: “…your printers need watching; they take some very large liberties with my spelling and punctuation,” etc. [MTP: Anderson Auction Co. catalogs Feb. 5, Item 90].

Sam also wrote to Susan Crane who had traveled with the family when Livy was returned to Riverdale on Oct. 15.

October 20 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam sent a telegram to Richard H. Jesse, President of the University of Mo. “I go to Princeton if you have any message authorize me & I will deliver it. S.L. Clemens” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore. “You may sell that Jewell Pin Co. stock. It is in the Safety Deposit, I suppose. It isn’t here. Mrs. Clemens is getting along about as usual. It will be a long siege, the doctor says” [MTP].

October 21 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a postcard to Franklin G. Whitmore, who had replied the Capt. Stormfield MS was not in the safe:

If it is gone from the safe, where can it be? In the drawers under the pigeon-holes in the billiard-room? I read it aloud in the billiard room to two friends in 1891 a few days before we sailed. I have not had it in my hands since.

However, it must be in the safe if still in existence. That is where I kept it so many years [MTP].

October 22 Wednesday – Michael P. O’Kelley replied from NY to Sam’s “joke letter” which asked for old bonds and bills from the US Treasury for fuel:

October 23 Thursday – At 10 a.m. in Riverdale, N.Y. Sam fired the second nurse, Margaret Garrety, and installed a new nurse at 11 a.m. [NB 45 TS 32]. Note: See NB entry Oct. 31 about Garrety.

Sam wrote of the nurses and Livy’s condition to James R. Clemens in St. Louis.

October 24 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to John White Alexander to decline the same dinner that he declined to Chauncey Depew on Oct. 23 [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Samuel E. Moffett in Mt. Vernon, N.Y. “I am just leaving for Princeton, but stop to say she is getting along pretty well, but will be bedridden some months” [MTP].

Sam’s notebook: “Go to Princeton this afternoon. The inaugural is tomorrow in the morning at 11. Take boat leaving W. 23d at 3.55 / Must carry or express my cap, gown & hood. (See Oct. 14)” [NB 45 TS 32].

October 25 Saturday – In Princeton, N.J.: Sam’s notebook: “Guest over Sunday of Hutton—Princeton.

Inauguration of Pres. Woodrow Wilson. / Speeches by him, ex-Pres. Patton, Grover Cleveland & President Roosevelt.

No other speeches. / Stedman & Tyler (?) guests, too / [Horiz. Line separator] / Be in Murray Hall in full academic costume at 10.15 a.m.” [NB 45 TS 32].