February 3 Sunday – The New York Times, p. SM7 ran “Mark Twain Pays His Respects to Mrs. Eddy and Christian Science,” which announced the publication this week of Christian Science.  

Isabel Lyon’s journal: The King set sail in his white clothes for Mrs. Laffan’s, ,  so that he could arrive in time for luncheon, which he did & he came home gay & happy. Mrs. Paine & Joy & Louise came in this morning. I played on the orchestrelle for the children, but it was a trying occasion, for Mrs. Paine is jealous of this whole situation & it was difficult to break away from the frozen crust she banked herself behind [MTP TS 26]. Note: Joy and Louise were daughters of Mr. & Mrs. Albert Bigelow Paine.

Mrs. Elizabeth R. Baucert wrote from West Newton, Mass. to advise Sam of a review of CS in this day’s Boston Herald. Sam had written that the Boston Christian Science Trust “gives nothing away; every thing it has is for sale.” Baucert advised that she’d noticed a sign on the First CS church there “Free Reading Room,” and mused that it might be free to get in but not to get out. “Your suggestion of their worship of Dollar—so prominent in Mrs. Eddy’s Science reminds one of the advice of the immortal Josh Billings, “Git money, my son, honestly if ye can —but git it” [MTP]. Note: clipping from the Boston Herald is in the file, date handwritten on side of Feb. 4, “Motto is ‘Down with Reason’”. Twain is not mentioned.

Mary Mewell Eaton, a NYC highschool teacher wrote to Sam, trying to “awaken in one hundred youngster’s hearts a love of good literature,” asked for his autograph [MTP]. Note:

Lyon wrote on the letter from Sam: “Thank her for her letter”