December 30 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to H.H Rogers.
I had already telegraphed Booker “All right, but don’t commit me to talk upon any particular subject.”
Are you going to spend Saturday afternoon at home, tomorrow? If so chalk your cue and expect me right after luncheon [MTHHR 604]. Note: Sam planned to speak at Carnegie Hall to honor the 25 anniversary of Tuskegee Institute by Booker T. Washington. It is not known if Rogers agreed.
My dear Mr. Clemens:—
I read in the New York Sun of yesterday that you were present in the 54th street Magistrates’ Court at the hearing of my information for libel against Collier’s and Hapgood prepared to “roast Mann”. Be sure, my dear Mr. Clemens, that I am not going to hold you responsible for anything said in the newspapers, because from sad experience I know they say any damned old thing that happens to promise sensation. However, in another place I read that you were very much offended at a paragraph in my issue of this week. I premise by saying that during the preparation of this week’s issue I was so very ill that I not only did not write anything for the paper, but did not even see anything that was written, or read the proofs, which is my usual custom. I have now read the only paragraph referring to you and have conferred with that member of my staff who wrote it. It was dear old Stephen Fiske who loves his little joke and he says to me that it was a New Year’s skit, and not intended in any way to be objectionable to you, for whom he has the highest and kindest regard, as have I. As I read it I am quite sure that the newspapers have made themselves ridiculous in saying that you had any feeling over the paragraph, a bit of nonsense with no serious import to any one. I think it proper that I should write this word of explanation to you. Though it has not been my pleasure to see anything of you for many years other than to pay my respects as a member of the Lotos Club and shake your hand when you were entertained there, I recall frequently our evening chats at the Langham Hotel about a third of a century ago. I also recall that away back of that I invited you to contribute to he old Mobile Register of which I was the owner and Editor-in-chief, and that you were pleased to write some very clever articles on agriculture. You wrote me in accepting to contribute that you noticed that I had an agricultural department and that as you knew nothing about agriculture you would write on that subject.
I read with great care your speech at the Harvey dinner and be sure I am delighted to know by it and from other sources that you are the same old “Mark Twain” and I trust in the enjoyment of the excellent health your appearance indicates. “May you live long and prosper”. With especial kind wishes for a New Year, believe me / Sincerely yours, … [MTP]. Note: see Dec. 28 entry on Mann.
Hamilton Wright Mabie for National Institute of Arts sent Sam a notice of the next meeting at the Aldine Assoc., on Friday evening, Jan. 26, 1906, 7 p.m. [MTP].
An unidentified person wrote from Brooklyn, NY to Sam. (Only the envelope survives) [MTP]. On the back: “St. Nicholas Hotel where the family were staying for several weeks in the winter of ‘68”
I had already telegraphed Booker “All right, but don’t commit me to talk upon any particular subject.”
Are you going to spend Saturday afternoon at home, tomorrow? If so chalk your cue and expect me right after luncheon [MTHHR 604]. Note: Sam planned to speak at Carnegie Hall to honor the 25 anniversary of Tuskegee Institute by Booker T. Washington. It is not known if Rogers agreed.
My dear Mr. Clemens:—
I read in the New York Sun of yesterday that you were present in the 54th street Magistrates’ Court at the hearing of my information for libel against Collier’s and Hapgood prepared to “roast Mann”. Be sure, my dear Mr. Clemens, that I am not going to hold you responsible for anything said in the newspapers, because from sad experience I know they say any damned old thing that happens to promise sensation. However, in another place I read that you were very much offended at a paragraph in my issue of this week. I premise by saying that during the preparation of this week’s issue I was so very ill that I not only did not write anything for the paper, but did not even see anything that was written, or read the proofs, which is my usual custom. I have now read the only paragraph referring to you and have conferred with that member of my staff who wrote it. It was dear old Stephen Fiske who loves his little joke and he says to me that it was a New Year’s skit, and not intended in any way to be objectionable to you, for whom he has the highest and kindest regard, as have I. As I read it I am quite sure that the newspapers have made themselves ridiculous in saying that you had any feeling over the paragraph, a bit of nonsense with no serious import to any one. I think it proper that I should write this word of explanation to you. Though it has not been my pleasure to see anything of you for many years other than to pay my respects as a member of the Lotos Club and shake your hand when you were entertained there, I recall frequently our evening chats at the Langham Hotel about a third of a century ago. I also recall that away back of that I invited you to contribute to he old Mobile Register of which I was the owner and Editor-in-chief, and that you were pleased to write some very clever articles on agriculture. You wrote me in accepting to contribute that you noticed that I had an agricultural department and that as you knew nothing about agriculture you would write on that subject.
I read with great care your speech at the Harvey dinner and be sure I am delighted to know by it and from other sources that you are the same old “Mark Twain” and I trust in the enjoyment of the excellent health your appearance indicates. “May you live long and prosper”. With especial kind wishes for a New Year, believe me / Sincerely yours, … [MTP]. Note: see Dec. 28 entry on Mann.
Hamilton Wright Mabie for National Institute of Arts sent Sam a notice of the next meeting at the Aldine Assoc., on Friday evening, Jan. 26, 1906, 7 p.m. [MTP].
An unidentified person wrote from Brooklyn, NY to Sam. (Only the envelope survives) [MTP]. On the back: “St. Nicholas Hotel where the family were staying for several weeks in the winter of ‘68”
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