March 8 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Mr. & Mrs. Gilder were here for luncheon today, & the chat was pleasant. The talk after luncheon fell on the Shelly Keats Memorial & the part Mr. Clemens took in it & Mrs. Whitmore asked him to read Rabbi Ben Ezra to us—which he did.
The King may deny that he has a religion, but he has it; the very tones of his voice are vibrant with it when he reads a poem like that, or when he looks at a distant view. (And my mind goes back to Dublin & the hallowed days we spent there.) The King & Mr. W. played billiards nearly all day, & again in the evening, while Mrs. Whitmore & I went over to see the Gilders in the evening. There were only one or two there, which made it very delightful. This afternoon Mr. Gilder told how he had met Browning once or twice in a London Club & how Browning came roaring down the hall, & was vigorous in his greeting & how he pointed out Darwin & Herbert Spencer & other big men who were in that club that long ago day [MTP TS 35; Gribben 105]. Note: “Rabbi Ben Ezra” by Robert Browning.
John J. Chapman wrote from NYC to invite Sam to join Tchaykovsky and others to dine with her at the Century Club Mar. 16 at 7:30 p.m. [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote: “Declined”
J.M. Dean, El Paso, Tex. attorney wrote to Sam, praising IA some “36 years late,” and also praising Sam’s Autobiography in the NAR [MTP].
S.A. Duke wrote from Baxter, Ark. to Sam. He was just past his 79 birthday and one of the old friends who came out of the woodwork reading Sam’s NAR segments.
My dear old colleague (of the Keokuk Lyceum) / I called at your home last summer and was told you was “in the Arctic regions shooting moose.” I regretted that this time you was “too far away.” / I am reading your biography with much interest, and think I can dimly see why when you was put on for regular exercise at our [illegible word] meeting you was never on hand [MTP].
George Griswold wrote to Lyon: “I return herewith lease, executed by Mr. Voss” [MTP].
Jervis Langdon II wrote from Elmira on Hope-Jones Organ Co. letterhead to Sam, announcing they were “progressing splendidly with the organ enterprise…” They’d won $18,000 in orders the first month of business. Jervis made a second call for stock subscriptions, which in Sam’s case was $750 [MTP].
Lillian Gertrude MacQuillan wrote from Providence, R.I. to solicit Sam to speak at Brown University to raise an endowment for their new gymnasium [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote: “Answd. Mch 13, 07”
Floyd M. Shoemaker wrote from Elmira, NY to solicit Sam’s autograph in a limited edition of his works [MTP].