Vol 3 Section 0461
“Send it as fast as you can, & send with it the enclosed note. This set is our bridal-present to Harry Rogers’s bride” [MTP].
Poultney Bigelow’s article, “God Speed Mark Twain!” ran in the The Independent, p.248 -50. Tenney: “On MT’s return to New York from his world lecture tour, and on his kindness to other authors. Sketch of MT by Bigelow” [32].
The Mutual Book Co., Boston, republished Sam’s essay (May 1887 in the Century), “English as She is Taught” as a little book. The essay was prepared by Sam using Caroline B. Le Row’s material. See Vol.
II.
October 26 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Dine with Dunham?” [NB 43 TS 27].
At the Hotel Earlington in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Sylvester Baxter, who had attended Warner’s funeral in Hartford on Oct. 23.
DEAR MR. BAXTER,—It was a great pleasure to me to renew the other days with you, & there was a pathetic pleasure in seeing Hartford & the house again; but I realize that if we ever enter the house again to live, our hearts will break. I am not sure that we shall ever be strong enough to endure that strain [MTP: Paine’s 1917 Mark Twain’s Letters, p.701]. (Sam’s “&” marks replaced.]
The Hartford Courant interviewed Sam on his visit to Hartford for the funeral of Charles Dudley Warner: “What Mr. Clemens Said,” p. 10. Covered was the shock at Warner’s death, remembrances of the Monday Evening Club, his plans for the winter (to spend it in NY if he could “find a house that would not bankrupt us”), his good health owed to Plasmon, and his desire not to return to vote if not a close election [MTCI 368-70].
Dr. Channing H. Cook for American Plasmon Syndicate wrote to Sam about Plasmon. He saw where Sam was interviewed by his old paper, the Courant, “and that you gave Plasmon a fine send-off. I have written to Hartford today for twenty five copies…as I am sure I can make good use of it.” Sales had increased from 187+ lbs.
the prior month to 224 lbs so far in Oct. [MTP]. Note: Dr. Cook would leave the Syndicate in Dec. 1901, under charges of dishonesty.
October 27 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Carnegie Hall Livy to go. 57th & 7th ave.” [NB 43 TS 27]. Note: see further down in entry for the Woman’s Press Club Tea.
At the Hotel Earlington in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Vernon L. Bean in Chicago.
“And so that pet scheme of mine has succeeded again. It has never once failed—& for a very good reason: no lazy, dull, commonplace, characterless youth is man enough to try it.
Your letter [not extant] has given me vast pleasure. …” [MTP].
Note: Bean was later involved as Asst. Sec’y to Chicago Mayor, but his position at this time was not determined, nor is the “scheme” Sam referred to, though possibly it was his idea of working for free as an apprentice to begin a career, then at some point presenting one’s employer with offers by competitors as a way to secure paid employment. In other words, to become indispensable.
Sam also wrote to Thomas Bailey Aldrich: “We are here in New York looking for a house” [MTHHR 453n1].
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.