Vol 3 Section 0133

Note: a Feuilleton (a diminutive of French: feuillet, meaning the leaf of a book) was a supplement, usually to a newspaper. It is doubtful that the appointment was made, for on Oct. 8 to Rogers, Sam commented he’d “seen nothing of Vienna except what is visible from the hotel windows.”

Clara’s recollection further illuminates Sam’s reference to the bridge, and to his making good on Pötzl’s imaginary incident:

Mr. Pötzl was also an excellent guide and led Father all over the city. One of their favorite pastimes was to stand on one of the bridges spanning the Danube and watch the boats of many sizes steam up and down the rippling waters, which were of a decided brown shade and not a dazzling blue, as reports would have one believe [MFMT 191].

The Hartford Courant, p.1, announced, somewhat in advance of the November issue date for FE, denoting a subscription campaign had begun. This would be the last of Twain’s works sold by subscription; later works published by Harper’s would lack the wealth of illustrations demanded by subscription books and be sold exclusively in the trade.

SOMETHING ABOUT “FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR.”

To be Sold by Subscription—The Sandwich Islands—A story of Boer Hospitality

Mark Twain’s new book, “Following the Equator,” is published by the American [Publishing] Company of this city and is sold by subscription. It is beautifully illustrated by noted American artists, including A.B. Frost, Dan Beard, Peter Newell, B. West Clinedinst, and others.

October 5 Tuesday– In Vienna, Austria Sam wrote to Professor Heinrich Obersteiner (1847-1922), enclosing a letter from Dr. M. Allen Starr (d.1932) of New York concerning seventeen-year-old daughter Jean’s epileptic attacks. Sam disclosed she had her sixth attack a week ago (Sept. 28).

She does not know what her difficulty is, but thinks herself subject to merely ordinary attacks of fainting; & we prefer to keep her in ignorance regarding their true character.

Can we bring her to see you? & will you kindly tell me at which hour it will be best to call? [MTP].

Note: Obersteiner was an eminent doctor who specialized in pediatric neurology, and at this time a senior colleague of Sigmund Freud. Dr. M. Allen Starr attended the Clemenses from 1895 until 1906, and had studied with Dr. Obersteiner. It is not known if the doctor saw Jean, or if he treated her [Dolmetsch 263].

Sam also wrote to the Editor of the Wiener Bilder:

“There is a moral sense and there is an Immoral Sense. The Moral Sense teaches us what morality is and how to avoid it; the Immoral Sense teaches us what immorality is and how to enjoy it. / Truly Yours / Mark Twain / Wien 5 October, 1897” [MTP].

October 6 Wednesday

October 7 Thursday – At the Metropole Hotel, Vienna, Austria, Sam wrote to Eduard Pötzl.

The manager of this hotel has now situated us so charmingly & spaciously & economically on the next floor (Stock III), that we shall stay a month at any rate; but when the weather settles, Mrs. Clemens will wish to see the Continental & the Persian Exquisite, for we are quite willing, like the rest of the world, to better ourselves whenever we can.

Sam thanked him for “helping us to forward our plans for securing a home…” [MTP].

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.