Vol 3 Section 0670

Note: this 1899 poem in its time was perhaps the best-known of all Kipling works, though taken to be vulgar by some. Kipling himself had mixed feelings about the poem, saying he would have killed the author if it didn’t mean committing suicide.

Sam and Livy wrote “heartiest New Year greetings” to Sir Thomas and Lady Wardle [MTP].

In N.Y.C. William Dean Howells wrote to Sam after not hearing back about the Moretti’s luncheon and fearing Jean Clemens was worse [MTHL 2: 738]. Note: Howells may have misdated this letter because he referred to the lunch date as “tomorrow (Thursday).” The luncheon was on Jan. 9.

Elisabeth Marbury wrote to Sam. “Our letters are evidently crossing. The power of attorney which you gave me is very definite. I send you herewith a copy of it. You will note that therein you appoint me your sole agent” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “Power of Atty to collect on 3 plays. Expires Apl 2, 1902.”

Hydesaburo Ohashi, a student at Harvard, wrote from Cambridge, Mass. sending some poems [MTP].

Sam’s notebook: “Hicks got $3 a week. Huck a doubter—or believer? (for he is superstitious)—Tom tells him the facts. Aunt Polly believes. / Take Aunt Polly & Betsy to prayer-meeting—nigger show—old jokes. / The old oaken bucket / (Palmyra ave.)” [NB 45 TS 2]. Note: this may have been notes for the story of Tom and Huck 50 years after, never finished, perhaps destroyed.

January 8 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to William Dean Howells that he’d lost the letter from Thomas Bailey Aldrich; he still had it the day before but now he couldn’t find it anywhere. He would keep looking [MTHL 2: 738]. Note: see Jan. 3.

January 9 Thursday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam sent 16 form letters to writers (25 were named in the publisher’s list) to determine if they had been asked and did contribute a story to a proposed book (A House Party) by Small & Maynard, a Boston publisher. He was concerned that his name had been advertised as one of the writers without his permission. The recipients all answered in the affirmative: they had been invited to contribute. Thirteen responses survive;. These writers were: John K. Bangs,

George W. Cable, Paul Leicester Ford, Mary E. Freeman, Alice French, Robert Grant, Mrs. Burton Harrison, Sarah Orne Jewett, Charles G.D. Roberts, Frank R. Stockton, Booth Tarkington, Margaret Deland, and Owen Wister. Only Tarkington and Freeman answered they had not contributed; Bangs and French declined to answer whether they had contributed. (Answers came throughout the month) The form letter:

MANIFOLD LETTER TO THE 25.

RIVERDALE, NEW YORK CITY, JAN. 9.

DEAR

AS REGARDS THAT BOSTON BOOK OF TWELVE STORIES, TO WHICH YOU AND I AND TWENTY-THREE OTHER WRITERS HAVE BEEN ADVERTISED AS HAVING BEEN INVITED TO CONTRIBUTE, WILL YOU MIND ANSWERING IN THE RESPECTIVE BLANKS THESE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS, WHICH IN ALL COURTESY I ASK:

         WERE YOU INVITED TO CONTRIBUTE? ANSWER

         DID YOU CONTRIBUTE?

ANSWER:

(SIGNED)

[MTP]. Note: See Jan. 10 to Bliss.

J.E. Bryant for Booklover’s Library sent Sam a receipt of $1,800 for 200 shares in the capital stock, and included a prospectus [MTP].

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