January 7 Monday – The Clemens party left Bermuda, again on the Bermudian. D. Hoffman writes:
As the ship sailed from the pier, the flag was dipped three times, and the King “lifted his head high and saluted with grave beauty,” Miss Lyon wrote. She said the little person at his side was Paddy, a pretty girl from the Upper West Side who had been on the same voyage to the Islands.
“We spent most of the day on deck—even into the night….The King and Mr. Twichell walked up and down, but it wasn’t comforting companionship for the King as Mr. T. is so deaf and can only hear when he is shouted at.” Paddy Madden evidently amused Clemens, and gave him relief from the reverend. At sea, he also took refuge in continuing to dictate his autobiography [75-6].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: Off for home. Today we sailed away from Bermuda. The Consul had the flag dipped 3 times in the King’s honor as we left the pier & the King standing with Paddy lifted his head high & saluted with grave beauty. We were forever getting away, & Mr. Twichell thought the big boat was stuck in the mud but we were waiting for the mail, the mail supposed to be ready at 9 o’clock and we were waiting for it at 11:20. Such a cosy & gemütlich place. No hurry anywhere, no trains, no motor cars; just lazy bliss. It’s delightful to sail that tortuous channel out to the open sea; it’s so narrow & so exacting that merchant ships once venturing in & getting out successfully won’t try it again. The King has been offered an island with a house on it by Mr. [W.W.] Denslow, a friend of Dr. Herring. The Dr. pointed it out to us as we sailed quite near it on our way out.
I got the King’s things ready for rough weather, but there wasn’t any; the sea was like the Mediterranean, & there was a beautiful sunset, a copper strange sunset, which made the sea like molten metals. We spent most of the day on deck—even into the night. The King & Mr. Twichell walked up & down, but it wasn’t comforting companionship for the King as Mr. T. is so deaf & can only hear when shouted at [MTP TS 6-7]. Note: W.W. Denslow; Dr. W. Conyers Herring Winifred Holt, secretary for the NY Association for the Blind sent Sam an invitation to an event with Helen Keller and Mr. & Mrs. John Albert Macy, on Jan 14 at 7:30 pm. [MTP]. Note: On or after this date Sam wrote on the invitation, “can’t go.” On the back of the letter Isabel Lyon wrote:
Miss Holt’s unconscious attitude would be What the Hell do I care about his health so that I carry out my plan.
Tel Mrs. Hutton
The Holts have made it so that He’s soured on the cause write Miss Holt that Mr. Clemens cannot break thro the rule—nearly wrecked his health a year ago.
appoint a time in the daytime when he can go up to her shanty & see Helen Keller. / Can this be entirely private. / Miss Holt is so persuasive. The cause is so good & Mr. Clemens must not come under that temptation—[MTP].
J.J. Halsey for New York Press Art Bureau, NYC wrote to Sam, seeking again a photograph they might use for newspapers and magazines. Could he call for five or ten minutes at The Marceau Studio, 258 Fifth Ave in the next few days? [MTP]. Note: A note on the letter suggests he sent photographs.
Edward F. Harkins wrote from Boston to Sam, seeking to confirm what he’d read in several New York newspapers, that Clemens was the first person to have a residence telephone. Harkins professed to be a “student of telephone history” and asked for details, as he’d been under the impression that “a man named Williams in Somerville, Mass.” was the first sometime in Apr. 1877 [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote: “Cannot at all be sure of dates…it was very early in 77 that the tel was put in & were told at the time that it was the first time a telephone had been installed for practical business purposes & not as a curiosity or a toy”
W.H. Jones wrote from NY to Sam, recalling being present for Sam’s “Babies” speech at the Palmer House in Chicago for General Grant, and recalled the guests there insisting that Sam stand on a table to deliver his address. Jones wished for Sam to go with him and his wife any Wed. evening at 7:15 “to the beautiful million dollar Christian Scientist Church 96 St & Central Park West and note the wonderful service. Will you go?” [MTP].