Vol 3 Section 0551
the debt to sit out of “the kindly regard” held for Twain, but in view of the “new conditions and changes” they wanted payment [MTP].
March 8 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Possible engagement” [NB 44 TS 7].
At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore. Once again a bill had been presented by Pratt & Whitney for a portion of the Chicago plant which took on the Paige typesetter. Sam ordered him to “resist the claim, through the Robinson boys or as good a law-firm” [MTP].
Sam also telegrammed Whitmore, message not extant but mentioned in Whitmore’s Mar. 9 to Sam.
Sam also wrote to John William Lloyd (b. 1857): “I thank you very much for the book” [MTP: Copley Library]. Note: only one book for Lloyd is listed in Gribben: Dawn-Thought on the Reconciliation; A Volume of Pantheistic Impressions and Glimpses of Larger Religion (copy 1900) [414].
Judson Smith wrote to Sam:
Permit me to call your attention to the marked paragraphs in the inclosed papers, and to ask you to note their relation to the two conditions named in your letter to the New York Tribune of February 15th.
The first is Dr. Ament’s denial of the truth of the dispatch in the NewYork Sun of December 24th, on which your criticisms of him … were founded. The second is a correction by the Sun’s special correspondent in Peking of the dispatch printed in the Sun of December 24th.
I am sure that upon having these facts brought to your attention you will gladly withdraw the criticisms that were founded on “a cable blunder” [MTP: N.A.R. Apr. 1901 p. 524].
March 9 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Grand Opera House—8.15. 23d St & 8th Ave” [NB 44 TS 7]. Note: The Metropolitan Opera House advertised the Grand Opera Season 1900-1901. “TO-NIGHT, at 8, at Popular Prices. Double Bill.—I PAGLIACCI (in Italian.). Miss Fritzi Scheff; MM. Salignac, Pini-Corsi, and Scotti. To be followed by CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA (in Italian.) Mmes. Gadski and Louise Homer; MM. Campanari and Cremonini. Conductor, Flon” [New York Times, 9 Mar. 1901, p. 16].
Franklin G. Whitmore wrote to Sam, having received his Mar. 8 letter about the $1,744.20 bill that wouldn’t die, the one to Pratt & Whitney some years before for estimating the cost of building a typesetter. Whitmore acknowledged receipt of the letter and also a telegram [not extant] on the matter. The late “Mr. Robinson did advise with the company and did state that owing to the fact that a portion of the Webster plant at Chicago was ordered of the Pratt & Whitney Co., in his opinion the claim was settled as far as you were concerned.” Whitmore also forwarded many newspaper articles about the “Sitting in Darkness” article [MTP]. Note: MTHHR 458n1: “As early as 10 January 1891 (CWB), and as recently as June 1898 (Whitmore to SLC, 28 June), they had tried to collect from Clemens.” Sam then wrote to H.H. Rogers and enclosed Whitmore’s letter. See Mar. 11.
Sam tried several locations without luck to hunt up Moncure D. Conway [Mar. 10 to Conway].
March 10 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Dora Wh[eeler] Keith ? | Mrs. Boyle here 7.30” [NB 44 TS 7].
At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Moncure D. Conway, now in the City. Sam wrote in care of Harper’s.
I have lost your address. I hunted for you yesterday, for some time, & sampled three doorbells, unsuccessfully: they said you didn’t live there. I wanted to say I have seen your article on Ilusions of
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.