February 1 Friday – Anticipating the Feb. 2 Players Club luncheon with Eugene Fitch Ware, Sam spent most of the day reading The Rhymes of Ironquill [MTB 1374].

The New York Times, Feb. 2, reported on Sam’s appearance at Police headquarters:

TWAIN VISITS BINGHAM.

Delights Police Headquarters by Wearing His White Flannel Suit.

Wearing a white flannel suit, just like that in which he first appeared on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, Mark Twain went to Police Headquarters yesterday. When he alighted from his carriage at the curb on the Mulberry Street side of the building a tattered man, who looked as though he might have strayed from a Bowery saloon, yelled:

“Hello, Mark!”

The humorist looked at the man, smiled genially, called back “Hello” in a pleasant tone, and hurried up the steps.

After spending about fifteen minutes in Commissioner Bingham’s office Mr. Clemens returned to his carriage. Before entering it he explained that it was just a social call he had made on the Commissioner, whom he knew very well, he said, having met him in Germany and several times in Washington. No, he had not found any fault with the department, he said. He did not think the police needed advice so much as some members of the highest legislative body in the land.

[Note: Theodore A. Bingham (1858-1934) Commissioner from 1905-1909; see entries Vol. II. Bingham was in the West Point class of 1879 and may have met Twain there. Leon puts “at least three visits” to West Point by Twain as early as 1876, p.37].

Isabel Lyon’s journal: Frederick [sic Frederic] Thompson the hypnotized (?) artist came to the house today to tell a wonderful story about the strange influence that the spirit of Swain Gifford has had over him, converting him from a silversmith to an artist. Prof. Hyslob [sic] has become interested in his case. He came to see Mr. Clemens because he had been told that the King is interested in psychic things. The King didn’t see him, but I listened with the greatest interest to his story & AB, who came in while he was here, listened also with interest [MTP TS 25-26]. Note: Dr. James Hervy Hyslop (1854-1920), author, educator, considered by some the leader of psychical research in America. Ex-professor of Logic and Ethics at Columbia.

Witter Bynner replied to Sam’s poem (before Feb. 1) with one of his own “To Saint Mark.”

Archangel of Profanity,

of Blasphemous Urbanity,

Shall be your name and post!—

You shall be king of carpers,

At all the heavenly Harpers—

You’ll make a bully Host!

At every feather-tip, an oath

Ascended from the behemoth

Shall hang and sparkle plain,

And the Creator, staying near,

Shall beg you – with attentive ear –

To take His name in vain [MTP].

Note: Clemens wrote on the letter “His laugh is a search light attained to audibility—; Offered the compliments of a box on the 16 of Feb—& he proposes to gather a friend or two  go.”

James Clarence Harvey wrote from NYC to Sam, hesitant to “desecrate” the P&P play because the managers of some club suggested more comedy, “which in managerial parlance means more loud laughs…” Harvey wanted to check with Sam before letting it “go by the boards” [MTP].

Clemens A.D. for this day is listed by MTP.  

Chapters  from “My Autobiography—XI” ran in the N.A.R. p.225-32.