November 16 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to Chauncey M. Depew.
Having had some experience with the methods of the Oppenheimer Institute, through the case of a dependent whom I sent to take the cure, I am interested in knowing what results others have found in the Oppenheimer treatment. As your name is given as one of the advisory directors of the Institute I infer that you have personal knowledge of beneficial results to patients. Will you kindly inform me of any cases within your own knowledge, and oblige [MTP].
Sam was interviewed by Marlen E. Pew for a newspaper syndicate of 62 Western newspapers, accompanied by an artist, named only as “Fireman,” a friend of Pew’s, who was to sketch Twain while the interview proceeded. Sam suggested they try an experiment of him interviewing himself while they took down his words verbatim. He also submitted the Nov. 14 letter to Samuel H. Row for use in the interview [Scharnhorst 525-8; Nov. 16 to Frohman].
Later, he also wrote to Daniel Frohman of the interview and other things.
Thank you very much for the appointment—I shall instruct Miss Lawton to arrive there on time.
I have already attended to Peter Pan. I have been interviewed this morning for a syndicate of 62 Western papers, & for the first time in my life I tried the experiment of dictating, so that the language might be my own & not the interviewer’s. I closed the interview with the most outspoken praises of the play, & said among other strong expression, that it hadn’t a defect. With lots of thanks to you for the privilege of seeing it I am sincerely yours P.S. This is the newspaper Syndicate that I referred to. The interview is to be published on the 30th of this month which will be my 70th birthday [MTP].
Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Mr. Pew 10— / Marlin [sic] E. Pew / 310 Park Row Building” [MTP TS 34]. Note: Marlen E. Pew would be Editor of the Philadelphia News-Post (1912- 1914) and in charge of War News during WWI.
William Ten Eyck Hardenbrook wrote from N.Y.C. to Sam, thanking him for his letter of Nov. 13 (not extant) and a photograph of Sam he’d obtained from Joseph G. Gessford. Hardenbrook asked for Sam’s biography in 500 words—would Sam write it? [MTP]. Note: On or after this day Isabel V. Lyon replied for Sam: “Mr. Clemens never furnished one to anyone. Cyclo.”
C.F. Bertholf, a newsdealer and stationer in Los Banos, Calif. wrote to Sam. Bertholf was unable to find two sketches, “White Elephant,” and “a story of a bad boy and a good boy” [MTP]. Note: The MTP catalogs Sam’s reply as “on or after 16 November.” Six days estimated postal time is allowed here, making an estimate of ca. Nov. 22.
Myrtle Reed wrote to Sam that she’d been invited to his birthday party but couldn’t come. She added she thought the whole thing was fake and that he wasn’t a day over 20 [MTP].
November 16 ca. – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam responded to Nellie Covert’s Nov. 11 query of whether or not he had known a “well-known” Captain Henry Switzer while a pilot on the Mississippi: “I knew of him. It would not have been etiquette for a captain to know me, for I was only an apprentice-pilot” [MTP].