February 7 Wednesday – The New York Times, Feb. 8, reported on another speech by Mark Twain, this one at a dinner of the American branch of the Dickens Fellowship, which was celebrating the 94 anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. Sam did not mention Dickens in his speech. See also Fatout, MT Speaking 482-4.

TWAIN ON ROCKEFELLER, JR.
———
He’s All Right, but as to His Knowledge of Veracity—Well!

Mark Twain declared last night [Feb. 7] that he had never told a lie in his life—up to that moment. Then he said he was glad to be present. Mr. Clemens was a guest at the dinner and entertainment given at the Press Club in memory of Charles Dickens under the auspices of the American branch of the Dickens Fellowship. George Cary Eggleston, Honorary President of the Dickens Fellowship, was toastmaster.

“John D. Rockefeller, Jr.,” said Mr. Clemens, “told his Sunday school class a few weeks ago all about veracity, and why it was better that everybody should always keep a plentiful supply on hand, and I want to say to you that among the hundreds of letters I receive each week many of them have suggested that I ought to attend Mr. Rockefeller’s class. I know Mr. Rockefeller very well. He is a fine fellow, and competent in many ways, but as to his knowledge of veracity— well, he is only 35 years old, and I am 70. I have been familiar with veracity twice as long as he has.”

Mr. Clemens asserted that the world at large has missed the point of the story little George Washington told his father about the cherry tree episode. The boy did not tell a lie, because he could have done so had he felt like it, and he would not have had to attend a Rockefeller class to teach him now. The pith of the story was the astonishment of George’s father to find that he had a son who had a chance to tell a lie and didn’t do it.  

Isabel Lyon’s journal:

Tonight at half past nine Mr. Clemens & I started for the Press Club with two of its members who came up here from the club rooms in Nassau Street. Mr. Clemens had said that if he felt like it he would have me telephone to them at nine o’clock & they promised to send a wheelbarrow for him at his own suggestion. The downtown streets were deserted and looked almost like the silent narrow dark streets of Florence. Mr. George Carey Egglestontook Mr. Clemens in charge when we arrived and a Mr. Davis took me by the hand and put me in charge of his wife at one of 3 long tables running lengthwise of the big room, which was decorated by flags, English and American, and portraits of literary men. When Mr. Clemens finally interrupted a droning stupid speech by simply entering the room, he received an applauding salutation and with his sweet gracious manner and his light, light step he was shown to the seat of honor by Mr. Eggleston and after Mr. E. made a few introductory remarks Mr. Clemens rose amid the glad shouts of all those people. How great he is, how magnetic. His speech was delightful, full of subtleties that those people couldn’t see through at all, but they didn’t know it. They didn’t know about [Henry] Butters and Harold Wheeler [MTP TS 25-26].

Richard R. Bowker wrote to Sam that the continuation of the Copyright Conferences in NY was of lesser importance for Twain to attend than the Congressional hearings that would come later.

You will be interested to know that Dr. Edward Everett Hale, now Chaplain of the Senate, has also promised to appear at the committee hearings in advocacy of a term for life and an extension, preferably for fifty years, as he also is an example of the injustice of the present copyright system—his “Man Without a Country” as well as earlier works already being out of copyright [MTP].

George B. Harvey wrote a short note to Sam. “If you can, please do keep Wednesday the 14th, luncheon time, free to come down to give Mr. Alden a little send-off” [MTP].