June 17 Monday – The last night on board the Minneapolis en route to England, Sam wrote a poem on the back of a menu to Carlotta Welles:

There’s many a maid that’s dear & sweet,

In Paris, Versailles, Marly

But not one maid in any of those before-mentioned towns

That can compare with Charley. / M.T.

Front seat—don’t forget [MTAq 41].

As was the usual custom for the last night on large steamers, there was a concert for the benefit of the Seaman’s Hospital Fund. This concert was held in the dining room, and Sam’s above refernce to “Front seat” likely was for this event. Carlotta Welles played the violin.

Sam’s A.D. of July recorded the event: On the last night out there was the usual concert…. Charley played a violin solo to admiration, and astonished everybody. She wasn’t much bigger than her fiddle, but she made it talk a moving and majestic language. I made a speech; other excellent people sang songs, and punished the piano. Rev. Dr. Patton, that verbal and intellectual wonder, twenty-five years President of Princeton University, conducted the concert, then finished his services with a brilliant exhibition of what a university president can do when he turns himself into an auctioneer. There was a jack-legged draughtsman on board [Peter Richards] who made some unimaginably poor caricatures of me on six postcards; I autographed them, and Rev. Dr. Patton set himself the task of auctioneering off the six for eighty dollars [MTFWE 12].  

Note: Francis Landey Patton (1843-1932), twelfth president of Princeton, was in the post until 1902 when Woodrow Wilson succeeded him; thereafter until his retirement in 1913 he was President of Princeton Theological Seminary. See postcard no. 6 insert under June 16. Cooley writes of Carlotta Welles, whom Sam evidently met on board:

On the Minneapolis he attempted to establish another friendship with a young lady, but this time he met with less success. Carlotta Welles apparently reminded him of his daughter Susy, and consequently he showed greater interest in “Charlie,” as he nicknamed her, than she did in him. Despite his charming advances and hyperbolic notes, Carlotta Welles was unmoved. Many years laster she recalled her experience with the famous author: “I used to get restless and chafed at times at being expected to sit quietly with him when my inclination as to race around” (Carlotta Welles Briggs to Dixon Wecter, MTP, 4 November 1947)” [35].

Paine gives us some of Twain’s speech in this last night’s event:

He wore his white suit on this occasion, and in the course of his speech referred to it. He told first of the many defects in his behavior, and how members of his household had always tried to keep him straight. The children, he said, had fallen into the habit of calling it “dusting papa off.” Then he went on:

When my daughter came to see me off last Saturday at the boat she slipped a note in my hand and said, “Read it when you get aboard the ship.” I didn’t think of it again until day before yesterday, and it was a “dusting off.” And if I carry out all the instructions that I got there I shall be more celebrated in England for my behavior than for anything else. I got instructions how to act on every occasion. She underscored “Now, don’t you wear white clothes on ship or on shore until you get back,” and I intended to obey. I have been used to obeying my family all my life, but I wore the white clothes to-night because the trunk that has the dark clothes in it is in the cellar. I am not apologizing for the white clothes; I am only apologizing to my daughter for not obeying her [MTB 1381].

R.D. Blumenfield for the Daily Express, London wrote to Clemens:

I am sending our Mr. Coulander to rout you out early. I am doing this because I fear other reporters will try to do so first, and I want the best interview there is to be had with you.

      I am emboldened to make this request, firstly because Col Harvey told me the other day that you wouldn’t mind; secondly because of my acquaintance with you (you will have forgotten me) and thirdly because being the only American Editor in London I want to keep my countrymen to the fore. / Yours…[MTP].

Isabel Lyon’s journal: Today the trinity of us, Will, Santa and I came out to Tuxedo. The air is delicious after the stiflingness of the city. I telephoned to the steamship office and found that the Minnesota is to pass the Lizard tonight between 8 and 9 and as we were entering the carriage Will said that the ship had been reported by wireless at Broro Head?

All last week Utah was down to 6½ and lower perhaps and this morning in despair I read that the bottom of that mine had been reached. I telephoned down to Mr. Broughton who said that the report was quite without foundation.

The peace of the country is great after the crash and bang and smells of the city [MTP TS 70- 71].

Marjorie Bowen wrote from London: “Thank you so much for your letter—it is delightful of you to have remembered me and I am looking forward so much to the great honour and pleasure of seeing you.” Even though she knew he would be “surrounded with people” at his hotel, could he have lunch with her and Miss Bisland at the Ritz, which was close to where he was staying? [MTP].

Louis Hillier wrote for The Foreign Press Assoc. in London, Salisbury Hotel. “I beg to enclose a programme of a Special Matinee which I am arranging in Aid of the …Association in London.” Could he  come and give them “one or two little stories”? [MTP].

Sidney Lee wrote from London, congratulations in the tiniest hand. Did Sam remember when he met the Lee family in NY in 1903 at Carnegie’s? [MTP].

W.B. Northrop sent telegram to the Minneapolis: “Hope you will see me on arrival” [MTP].

Kate Douglas Riggs, in London for 3 weeks, wrote she had rearranged her departure so as to see the Oxford ceremony on the 25th , but seats were so difficult to obtain—could he help? “… do you remember that I am a modest little Litt.D. myself of Bowdoin College?” [MTP].

W.N. Shansfield wrote for the Whitefriar’s Club, of which Sam was an honorary member.

Would Sam join them for “a quiet run down the River next Saturday”? Not one to be up on such things, Shansfield added after his signature, “I need not say that, if Mrs. Clemens is with you, we shall feel greatly honoured if she will come also” [MTP]. Note: Shansfield was not the only writer to make this error.

Mrs. K. Suart wrote having heard Clemens was in London, and offering some dates for him to come and visit. Was Clara along? [MTP].

Frederick C. Van Duzer for American Society in London wrote Sam an invitation for their Banquet at the Hotel Cecil, Strand, on Thursday July 4 [MTP].