March 10 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote a postcard to Edwina L. Levy. “Oh, dear me, Miss Levy! I’ve ‘lifted’ this English girl’s post-card without noticing what I was doing. But I’ll send her a more recent photograph to make up for it” [MTP].
Sam also wrote on Edwina L. Levy’s Mar. 7 letter to Miss D. Stickney, explain his blunder of sending the photograph Miss Stickney had sent of him to Miss Levy. “But I am sending you a far more recent one, & shall hope that you will forgive me.” (photograph signed and enclosed) [MTP]. Note: photo sold on eBay Nov. 8, 2008, Item # 260311578030, and inscribed “Very Truly Yours Mch 10/06 / Mark Twain”.
Sam also replied to the Mar. 8 from Lillie T. Noel.
The standard of etiquette for a dropped garter has become—through our modified manners in the drift of the centuries—precisely the etiquette for dropped teeth. The remark proper at that early day is exactly proper for our time & must not be altered. M . A. should have bowed low, handed the lady her teeth, & sternly quenched the smiles of the witnesses with the noble “Honi soit que mal y pense.” [MTP]. Note: French phrase meaning: “Shamed be he who thinks evil of it”.
Gertrude Natkin wrote another affectionate letter to Sam, mentioning her phone call to him of the day before. She had received his letter this a.m. and replied, including a little verse she’d written:
LAY OF ANCIENT ROME
Ole Marcus was a Roman,
A Roman good was he,
No dagger was seen neath his toga blue
But there a heart brave and true [MTAq 18-19]. Note: see source for the full text.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: Saturdays Mr. Clemens doesn’t dictate, except to me, & we save up the important letters for that day & go through them as through a delightful game, wondering what will come next in the great batch of mail that comes from all parts of the world during the week. His moods are always interesting.
Mr. Rogers came at 12:30 and took him off to luncheon and to the matinee, “Abbysinia” [sic] at the Majestic Theatre. He came home a little tired while Mr. Paine sat at tea with Jean & me, & after a glass of milk, he tucked the evening papers under his arm to go up to his bed & reset before going out again this evening to play billiards with Mr. Rogers .
Mr. Henderson came in again to talk about having Mr. Clemens speak the birthday speech onto those cylinders, & I suppose now that he will really do it. We had a nice talk over that & over the Herald reporter who came with the Tribune man’s “Senatorial” Copy. Mr. Paine told me yesterday that Mr. Clemens reception of the suggestion & of the reporter was so find & so characteristic [MTP TS 45-46; also, in part, Gribben 642]. Note: “Abyssinia” was a musical comedy.
March 10 ca. – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam replied to Charles Hopkins Clark’s Mar. 10 letter: “All right—got to compromise on half then” [MTP]. Note: To split the bill for the luncheon in Hartford on Mar. 1.
At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon replied for Sam to Robert Fulton Cutting’s Mar. 8 invitation to address the students of the N.Y. Trade School: “At present cannot see his way to it —but would like to think this over for a day or so to see if he can manage it” [MTP].
Sam also replied to Ernest A. Gerrard’s Mar. 8 note (writing on it) that he was sending a play, France and the Maid for Sam to appreciate: “I have taken a glimpse of it here & there & think I know I shall have great pleasure & content in reading it when these strenuous days are by, & I get a chance to stop working & speechifying & steal a holiday for reading & rest” [MTP].