March 31 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to George O’Connor.
To M . George Connors: / My daughter neglected to consult me when she entered into negotiations looking to the matter of engaging your services as coachman for the summer, and now I am obliged to say that it is absolutely necessary for me to have a man of years & experience, one who is trained to the saddle, who can take the full responsibility of two horses under the saddle in case of need. I feel that I must find some one who can meet these requirements since all of them are important [MTP].
Isabel V. Lyon replied for Sam to James B. Pond who was still coaxing Sam to lecture. Lyon wrote thanks but that Mark Twain “expects to retire permanently from the platform,” sentiment given many times in the past [MTP]. Note: Pond was nothing if not persistent.
Isabel Lyon’s journal:
Tonight Mr. Clemens said he’d like to get up a game on copyright. Have all the authors in the U.S. sign a petition to have copyright on Mr. Clemens’s books extended for life & 50 years beyond. He’d be willing to go down to Washington next January & lobby for it—for if Congress would grant the right to one author, it would be the entering wedge for all of them.
Jean & I went down to see Gerald sail in the little Fontabelle for Dominica, & later we went up to call on the Brushes at the Grand Union. Mrs. Brush was very attractive when she said that Mr. Brush preferred her babies to any others & that was why he was always painting them. Louis Agassiz Fuertes was there too. Came in to show Mr. Brush some studies for a wild fowl calendar, & they’re lovely [MTP TS 61].
J.Q. Adams wrote on Art Commission of the City of New York letterhead to Sam:
Some are born great
Some achieve greatness
Some have greatness dribbled on them by Father Time but try to rob him of the credit. However, I want very much to see you and have a chat…[MTP]. Note: Sam answered ca. 2 Apr.
Eleven year old Elizabeth Owen Knight wrote from Rockville, Md. to Sam. “I know you will be surprised to hear from a little Maryland girl that you have never seen. I wish I could know you, for I have enjoyed your books so much and I want to write and tell you how much I have enjoyed them.” She thought it funny that the Brooklyn Public Library would restrict his books for younger children [MTP].
March 31 ca. – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon replied for Sam to Capt. A.J. Forsyth’s Mar. 29 inquiry. “Mr. Clemens has never heard of that boat—was never a captain of a steam boat” [MTP].
Sam also replied to Harper & Brothers’ Mar. 29 inquiry as to where “The Stolen White Elephant” story first appeared.
In Buffalo I began to scratch together sketches for vol of sketches—then I did this extraordinary thing—I made a contract with Bliss for that vol of sketches at a royalty of 7½% which would mean that I made that cont. after cont for Roughing It which was 7½%—By & by —the several years—Osgood wanted a book & I said he couldn’t do anything with a book— (10% royalty)—nothing but a vol of sketches—Osgood won but just did sell 10000 copies in 6 mos. [MTP].
Sam also replied to R. Scarano’s Mar. 29 offer to sell a set of Dante’s works. Sam referred him to Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., as they possessed “almost every edition of Dante that has ever been printed” [MTP].