May 8 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam sent a cable to C.F. Moberly Bell, editor of the London Times: “I PERCEIVE YOUR HAND IN IT YOU HAVE MY BEST THANKS SAIL IN MINNEAPOLIS JUNE 8 DUE IN SOUTHAMPTON DAYS LATER. / CLEMENS” [MTP].

Note: Hill includes an excerpt from Isabel Lyon’s journal that it was late in 1906 when Moberly Bell was visiting from London and luncheoned with Sam. When asked when he  might return to England, Sam answered “When Oxford bestows its degree upon me!” Isabel thought the award “cheapened” because it was asked for [166]. The exact luncheon date has not been determined, but Bell was in the U.S. and was awarded a doctor of literature degree on Apr. 13, 1907 by Western University of Penn. at the Founders Day exercises of Carnegie Institute [NY Times, Feb. 17, 1907, p.6 “Degrees for Foreigners”]. Bell was also present for the Apr. 14 to 17 National Arbitration and Peace Congress at Carnegie Hall [NY Times, Mar. 8, 1907, p.4 “Peace Congress That Meets Here”]. These events suggest the luncheon was also in April, and, as Hill points out, it was given by the New York Times for Bell; if the seed was planted by Sam then, it took only “two weeks to germinate” [166].  It is likely Lyon simply erred about the date. Still, to what extent Bell was behind Sam’s Oxford degree is open to speculation, yet Clemens thought it evident, and honorary degrees were certainly on Bell’s mind.

Sam also cabled the ship, Minneapolis, and June 8 sail date to Whitelaw Reid in London [MTP].

Sam also wrote to John Mead Howells concerning the construction contract on the Redding house, letter not extant but referred to in Howells’ May 9 reply.

Sam spent “4 solid & strenuous hours at the Fair” [May 14 to Jean]. Also Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Four hours the King spent at the Actor’s Fair in the Players’ Booth” [MTP TS 56].

The New York Times, May 8, p. 7, “Not a Dull Minute at the Actors’ Fair” included this short paragraph about Mark Twain’s appearance for May 9 (Sam only appeared on May 6 and May 8, so this is in error).

Mark Twain, in his white suit and wearing his white hair, is to appear to-morrow at the Players’ Booth. It is understood that he has not entirely recovered from the terrible shock of the recent Christian Science episode: he laughs about it all the time.

And in another article on this day, p.7, “Lost Her Pearls At The Actors’ Fair,” the New York Times included this paragraph about Mark Twain and Ethel Barrymore:

While Miss Barrymore was at the Fair she had a rival in popularity from the opposite sex. The rival was Mark Twain in all his resplendent garments of snowy whiteness. But there was no sign of jealousy between them. Miss Barrymore ran up to the perennially youthful humorist, and the greeting they exchanged made all the other men wish that they also were authors of funny books.

H.H. Rogers sent a telegram on board the SS Baltic to Sam: “HAVE JUST STARTED BY LAND MRS ROGERS PREFERS IT TELL THE GIRLS / ROGERS” [MTHHR 624]. Note: The captain of the White Star ship mistook an anchored Std. Oil tanker for an oncoming vessel and took extreme maneuvers to avoid it, thus going aground inside N.Y. Bay. See note 1 on source.

Carrie L. Headrick wrote to Sam from Gardnersville, Nevada. “Mr S. L. Clemens / Dear Sir

—/ That certainly looks very circumspect,—and quite proper, after the years that have passed since we met, nevertheless all though you have climbed the ladder of fame, your old Carson friends think of you as—just Sam.” She mentioned Paine being there to gather info for a biography, and staying with Mrs. Sam P. Davis [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote on the letter: “Ansd”