August 4 Saturday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to Elizabeth Jordan, editor of Harper’s Bazaar, unable to be inspired to add to her collaborated story, his contribution being the boy character:

Dear Miss Jordan: / I was hoping & indeed expecting that that boy would look in & report for duty. But it has not happened. After this long waiting he has never once rung the bell. This can only mean one thing—he is not coming; that is if he has a story to tell he is not moved to tell it through me. I could compel him, but the children of the fancy are sensitive, & I do not offend them with compulsions, & so I have given him up, & dismissed the thought of him from my mind, permanently. I would so gladly have allowed him to tell his tale by my hand, but under no conditions would I tell it for him. It gives me a sharp pang to say these things & disappoint you, but there is no alternative; the thought of the boy keeps tagging around after me, & interfering with my affairs, & for my own comfort I have to take this course with him [MTP]. Note: See May 29 entry; also MTHL 2: 818-19.

Sam also wrote a letter to Mary B. Rogers (Mrs. Harry Rogers, Jr.) in Fairhaven, Mass. that he added a few lines to on Aug. 5.

You are a very dear partner in crime, & if you have missed me half as much as I have missed you, I am very well satisfied—& pretty vain, too, besides. You’ve got some exceedingly good new words, & they are genuine, too—I’ve verified them by the dictionary, & adopted them. Do you know, by & by none but the most learned people will be able to understand you & me. The others will be awed when they listen: they will think we are talking a foreign language. Awed, & envious & hostile—but no matter, they will admire, anyway. It is good that you are going to practice-up on billiards, we’ll have strenuous tournaments at 21 [Fifth Ave.]; & I hope the table will be exactly the size of the one at Fairhaven, then you won’t have to learn the angles over again. Stick to the English game; you will have a chance to rest while I am making exhibition- runs, & your strength will last the longer, whereas “Chicago” permits no rest.

Sam then wrote of Colonel Harvey’s visit and of the forthcoming North American Review segments of his Autobiography, starting Sept. 1. He liked the arrangement and so would H.H. Rogers. He also disclosed that the “boy” for the “composite story” that Elizabeth Jordan wanted had “not yet knocked at my mind for admission.” Sam wanted to go to Fairhaven for a day about the end of the month, but encouraged Mary and husband Harry Rogers to “come ‘mobiling up here.” He finished with: Oh, if we can only learn to be good, & go to heaven! (There’s 7 sabbaths per week, there, y’ know. To break.) It just makes a body’s mouth water. Do you believe the angels are galactophorous? I hope so.

Now then, on top of all these important things there’s still another which – – – – – – – sho! paper of this size doesn’t hold anything.

Why, so she was your grandmother! Mine, too. It makes us cousins or something, & I think it’s very nice. Good-bye, dear pal. /  SLC / Won’t you please mail the enclosed to Mrs. Coe for me? [MTP].

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Today Col. Harvey went off bearing a stack of the autobiographical ms. with him. All the order to which it had been reduced is disordered again & its all a chaos. How the Paines and Hobbys will grieve” [MTP TS 102].

George B. Harvey of Harper’s left Dublin with the portions of “Mark Twain’s Autobiography” MS he wished to publish in the reorganized North American Review [Aug. 3 to Clara]. Before he left, either this day or Aug. 3, Harvey wrote a note of summary to Sam: “I have: / (1) Instalment No. 1 beginning with preface outlining autobiography. / (2) Instalment No. 5 beginning “My Experiences as author.” / (3) Copies of complete dictation to Feb 12 inclusive. / Please send: / Instalments Nos. 2, 3 & 4 as soon as finished. / Also copies of complete dictation beginning with Feb. 13 as it proceeds” [MTP].