Vol 3 Section 1133

Addenda & Errata For Volume II (1886-1896)

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July 1-2, 1890 additionVacationers at Onteora, N.Y. during this summer signed a group photograph. Thus the following names may be added to those at the park: W.F. Clarke, Lillie Hamilton Fish, Mary

Knight Wood (Mrs. George Greenleaf Wood, Jr.), Candace Wheeler, Eleanor Hutton, and Dr. R. Heber Newton. Note: See existing entry for other names. See also Meltzer, p. 184 for the photograph with signatures.

October 12, 1890 addition – In Hartford, Sam answered Miss Alice Kingsbury’s request to lecture:

“I reformed six years ago & I have not infested the platform since. I should’nt know how to read or speak now,” He thanked for her offer of hospitality, and sent “kindest regards” to her parents, and mentioned that “Business has carried me from place to place”, and talked about his daughters (“Susy & Clara were very little folk when you knew them. And Now Susy’s in

college! It takes my breath away to think of it…”) [Bonham’s auction June 24, 2008; Sale 16202, Lot 112]. Note: The Kingsbury’s were acquaintances of the Clemenses in Hartford in the 1870s. F.J. Kingsbury was Alice’s father.

July 28, 1891 addition – In Aix-les-Bains, France Sam wrote to Samuel S. McClure:

“I want to introduce to you in the way of business Dr. William Wakefield, one of the principal physicians of this place in the hope that you might need his pen, which is a practiced one” [Sotheby’s auction June 19, 2003, Sale NO7915, lot 46].

October 12, 1891 addition – Joseph Hatton’s production of P&P opened at the Strand Theatre in London.

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November 5, 1891 addition – Sam signed the American Embassy register in Berlin, Germany and gave his Körnerstrasse address [Dickie 184].

1892 addition – Chatto & Windus published The Choice Humorous Works of Mark Twain [eBay item

250468985047 July 21, 2009].

1892 addition/correction – Homburg, Germany. Sam and daughter Susy were walking on the street and met Miss Marie Corelli (born Mary Mackay; 1855-1924). On Apr. 6, 1897 Sam replied to an invitation by John Y. MacAlister to some gathering with Corelli. Sam replied, “…it would move me too deeply to see Miss Corelli. When I saw her last it was on the street in Hamburg, & Susy was walking with me” [MTP]. Note: The family was only in Homburg one known time–these five days in 1878, though Sam and Joe Twichell were there for two days Aug. 20 to 21, 1892; and Sam went again (alone?) on Aug. 25 and 26 to meet the Prince of Wales (see entries Vol. 2). Corelli, British novelist, would luncheon with Sam in 1907. She would become the best-selling UK female novelist of the early 20th century, though critics ripped her books.

Dilemmas are often noted when using Sam’s Autobiographical dictations of events recalled after many years. Sam’s dictation of Aug. 16, 1907 suggests 1892 as the first meeting with Corelli.

“I met Marie Corelli at a small dinner party in Germany fifteen years ago [ ca. 1892], and took a dislike to her at once, a dislike which expanded and hardened with each successive dinner course until when we parted at last, the original mere dislike had grown into a very strong aversion” [MTFWE 73]