December 21 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:

Electric music. Bermuda.

The King is planning to go to Bermuda if Mr. Twichell can go too, & I’m to go as valet & myself. I’ve written to Mr. Twichell & now we’re waiting. Mr. Clemens would like to go there for the summer & has had me look up the temperature & other things. He thinks he’d like the isolation, but the lack of companionship would make more desolation for him than anything else, for he of all people must have companionship—mental companionship.

This afternoon Mr. Clemens & I went to see the working of the Electrical Music invented by Cahill. They have their intricate & marvelous machinery at 39th Street & Broadway & as we stood in the show room by the intricate keyboard with at least 300 keys, the clear bell like tones came to us from a chandelier or from a great hydrangia plant. Most wonderful of all was the musical wave of sound that came through an arc light. The more intense the light, the greater the sound. Mr. Clemens was deeply moved, as he always is by the wonderful or the impressive or the dramatic; at such times he cannot speak. The men crowded about him for his comment but he hadn’t much of any to give. He has asked to have it installed in the house for the New Year’s party.

We left Mr. Gardenhire at the house & found Barry Faulkner there on our return. Barry has won the prix de Rome & in January sails for Italy to be away 3 years [MTP TS 151]. Note: Samuel Major Gardenhire (1855-1923), attorney, author of The Long Arm (1906) and others. See Gribben 251.

Clemens’ A.D. of this day included: Clemens’ A.D. of this day included: Mainly from Susy’s Biography—about the “Christian Union” article; the mother’s methods of punishment, etc., with a few comments by Clemens [MTP Autodict3].

H. Levey, Cleanser and Dyer wrote to acknowledge Sam’s order for cleaning three 3-piece white suits and cape, totaling $10; returned Dec. 23 noted on bill [MTP].

Chapters from “My Autobiography—VIII” ran in the N.A.R. p.1217-24.