Vol 3 Section 0439
August 9 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Army & Navy—drainage—cigars. / Letter from Hendrie stating terms agreed upon by him & Poultney Bigelow. H. to dramatise Hadleyburg & take 2/3 of the profits” [NB 43 TS 23]. Note: see incoming from Ernest Hendrie, Aug. 7.
Chatto & Windus’ Jan. 1, 1904 statement to Clemens shows 1,000 2s.0d. copies of CY were printed, or a total printed to date of 14,000 [1904 Financials file MTP].
August 10 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Candlestick. / Joan of Arc play / Smythe, 16 Adam st / Hair-Cut / Steamship, 15 st / Cigars” [NB 43 TS 23].
August 11 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Died suddenly at 3 a.m. yesterday the Lord Chief Justice of England. We
dined with him 4th of July” [NB 43 TS 23]. Note: Baron Charles Russell of Killowen, Lord Chief Justice.
August 12 Sunday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote a long letter to Frank Fuller in N.Y. on the merits of Plasmon, enclosing two circulars on the product [MTP: Anderson Auction catalog, Nov. 6-7, 1924, No. 1870, Item 83].
Sam also replied to James B. Pond’s latest platform offer of ten nights at $10,000, declining though the offer was “handsome, but it does not seduce. I am out of the field, & am not likely to ever enter it again” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Joe Twichell, with Livy adding “We do hope Harmony is steadily gaining now.”
The Sages & Prof. Fiske & Brander Matthews were out here to tea a week ago, & it was a breath of American air to see them. We furnished them a bright day & comfortable weather—& they used it all up, in their extravagant American way. Since then we have sat by coal fires evenings.
Sam shared settled plans to sail home in October and winter in New York; the Hartford osteopath did not impress him. He then mentioned events in China:
“It is all China, now, & my sympathies are with the Chinese. They have been villainously dealt with by the sceptred thieves of Europe, & I hope they will drive all the foreigners out & keep them out for good. I only wish it; of course I don’t really expect it” [MTP]. Note: Boxer Rebellion (Nov. 2, 1899 – Sept. 7, 1901)
August 13 Monday – H. de Lima Woods wrote from Kilburn NW, London to Sam about the Dollis Hill house. Some drainage work needed to be done and as a result some of the flooring had to be taken up. The work would be “executed as quickly as possible” [MTP].
August 14 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Promenade deck each of 2 rooms £85. / Two outside rooms on main deck (no ports) £52 each. / Or, one inside room on that deck, £48. / Maid £15 in place with servants” [NB 43 TS 23]. Note: See Aug. 17 entry.
At Dollis Hill House in London, Sam wrote a brief note to Brander Matthews.
“We-uns are going to be in to-morrow (Wednesday) afternoon, & shall look for you-uns & give you glad welcome, & cake & tea in addition thereto” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Mrs. T. Douglas Murray.
Mrs. Clemens has been delaying her answer in the hope that she would be able to make the journey. She thinks she is better, & feels sure she will be better still, to-morrow; so she instructs me to write you that we
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.