October 17 Wednesday – Sam took “The long railway journey from Dublin” N.H. to N.Y.C. which he later wrote, “destroyed me for 7 whole days!” [Oct. 24 to Emilie Rogers].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “This morning the King left early for Boston & he was in a dear mood. / Jean left by way of Keene. I took her over & put her on the train” [MTP TS 137].
James MacArthur of Harper’s wrote to Sam, enclosing a clipping from a Glasgow, Scotland newspaper about Mark Twain’s autobiography that he thought would please Sam. From the article, “If the work as a whole turns out to be up to sample, it will be a masterpiece” [MTP].
Henry Beech Needham of Success Magazine for People’s Lobby replied to Sam, having rec’d Sam’s of Oct. 12. Needham apologized for his “unwarranted attempts to draft you into active service. I understand perfectly the terms on which you gave us the use of your name.” He wrote “it would be a very great help” however, if Clemens could be in Washington on Oct. 23 and go with the group to the White House that evening [MTP]. Note: Sam did not go to Washington until Dec.
Benjamin O’Chiltree wrote an unusual fan letter from Baltimore, Md. to Sam.
Writing this letter is one of the pleasantest duties I have to perform before leaving for “Hell or Hadleyburg”—which the doctor tells me must be soon now.
In fact I’m living beyond my time—because he said Oct 15 was my last day “on live”—The only reason I didn’t die on that date was that I wanted to read your latest story in Harpers. Some people see Naples and die—I prefer to read Mark Twain & die. I’ve never seen Naples, —and don’t expect to. I’ve red almost everything you’ve written, and when I finish your whole output I’ll give up seeing Naples and die happily without that privilege.
But——
I want to thank you for all the pleasure your books have given me during many years of confinement to my room. Life would frequently have been dull indeed had it not been for the companionship of Huck Finn, Col. Sellers, et al.
When I get to Hell the greatest torture that I will have will be the possible knowledge that you shall have written something else I shall not be permitted to read. / Yours gratefully … [MTP].
J.P. Tower of St. Jerome’s Rectory wrote from Hyattsville, Md. to confess to Sam that he’d read a portion of his Autobiography to his Roman Catholic parishioners last Sunday. He offered God’s blessings on Sam and his daughters [MTP].