March 22 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave, Isabel V. Lyon wrote notes for Sam to answer Elisabeth Cutting.  “Mar 22—Think out a date for Reception. The Spanish girl Senorita Marcial will be here about Apr. 2. Would they like to invite Sen Marcial & her chaperon Miss Sanborn to this recep.” [Lyon:] “Mention this as M . Clemens would like to help her along in her work—in any way that comes along” [MTP].

Lyon also wrote the notes to reply to Moses Allen Starr’s Mar. 21 (the answer was sent at John Larkin’s suggestion by Isabel V. Lyon)

Note to D Starr—  / [diagonally beneath name:] services to M . Clemens

Kirch is a singular kind of coward—he knows perfectly well that he can bring suit in Florence any time he pleases & get his 400 whether he wins the suit or loses.

M . Clemens is going to consider your suggestion & arrive at a decision about it.

Here’s M . Clemens’s case—M Larkin must not stop him putting the Kirch case & correspondence into a pamphlet & sending it to every English speaking person in Florence & Rome— (note by Isabel V. Lyon: Finally M . C. decides to ask M . Larkin to come talk over the Shedd matter for there’s too much for the telephone—M . Larkin is coming this afternoon at 5. Mar 22) [MTP]. Note: see Mar. 21; Shedd was Dr. Kirch’s attorney.

Clemens’ A.D.   for the day: Susy’s Biography—Langdon’s illness and death—Susy tells of interesting men whom her father met in England and Scotland—Dr. John Brown, Charles Kingsley, Henry M. Stanley, Thomas Hardy, Henry Irving, Robert Browning, Charles Dilke, Charles Reade, William Black, Lord Houghton, Frank Buckland, Tom Hughes, Anthony Trollope, Tom Hood, Dr. MacDonald, and Harrison Ainsworth—Clemens tells of meeting Lewis Carroll—of luncheon at Lord Houghton’s—Letters from Mr. and Mrs. Clemens to Dr. Brown—Mr. Clemens’ regret that he did not take Livy for a last visit to Dr. Brown [AMT 1: 432-436].

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Mr. Paine has just appeared at my door to say Mr. Clemens wants to know “where in hell that God damn Gospel is” [MTP TS 55-56]. Note: Sam’s “Gospel” was “What is Man?”

F.B. Goddard wrote from NYC to Sam enclosing a photo of himself and having been “many times each week” receiving “the flattering compliment of being mistaken for your distinguished self” [MTP]. Note: the man did bear a strking resemblance to Twain.

Alex D. Martin wrote from Newark, NJ to Sam. “I am an old St. Louis printer, having worked there some six years ‘when you and I were boys.’ I will be 76 years old on the 27 of this month. Am a Union member, in good standing, for some 54 years; belong to the No. 6 of New York; was at ‘the Home’, left it, —sorry for it—and have been trying to get back for over three years.” Could Sam help get him a ticket? He was also “sadly in need of some reading matter,” and hoped he was not “too fresh” in asking for some [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote “No ans” on the letter.  

March 22 ca.  – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to T. Gilbert Pearson’s Mar. 20 request. “Letters should be signed by God Almighty—& the Son & young John D., & the Virgin— Gilder & himself are ragtag & bobtail—Letters should be signed by thieves with money in their pockets, thieves respected & adored” [MTP].