September 26 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Moberly Bell—to meet Lord Cromer—8.15. Will Mrs. C. come too?
8 at Chatto, 2 at A & NA / Library on steamer? / Labels to 15 Cockspur. / Better 60 days of Dollis than a cycle of Cathay” [NB 43 TS 26]. Note: Gribben connects this with Frank Stockton’s novel, A Bicycle of Cathay (1900) now being serialized in Harper’s [666].
At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote a postcard to Poultney Bigelow: “Hurry along with that bike or we shall be gone. We remove to London (Brown’s Hotel, Albemarle street) Monday” [MTP: U.S. Smith, Up a Tree With Mark Twain, 1978, p.469].
Sam also wrote to John Y. MacAlister asking him to represent him “in the matter of the stock in Messrs. A. Goerz & Co’s hands.” Sam wanted to leave the selling time to the judgment of Adolf H. Goerz [MTP].
Sam inscribed a copy of The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories and Sketches to C. Eastwood and Mrs. C. Eastwood: “Rev. C. & Mrs. Eastwood with compliments of Mark Twain, Sept. 26/00” [MTP: Maxwell Hunley Rare Books catalog, 15 July 1958, Item 76].
Sam inscribed a copy of the same book to Donald MacAlister and Mrs. Donald MacAlister: “Dr. Donald & Mrs. Mac Alister / with compliments of / Mark Twain, Sept. 26/00” [MTP: David J. Holmes Autographs catalog, No. 38, Item 233]. Note: Donald MacAlister (1854- 1934) was a physician and later Chancellor of the University of Glasgow; he was a native speaker of Gaelic. Sam’s Apr. 7, 1904 to John Y. MacAlister reveals Donald to be John’s brother.
William Whiteley, grocers, billed Sam £9.2.9 ½ for groceries [1900 Financial file MTP].