July 2 Tuesday – Ashcroft’s note: “Lunched with Henniker-Heaton, M.P., at the House of Commons; dined with Mr. and Mrs. Harry Brittain at the Savoy” [MTFWE 85].
The London Evening News, July 2, p.1, reported on Sam’s doings for the day.
MARK TWAIN AT WESTMINSTER.
Smoking the cigar which would seem never to go out, Dr. Mark Twain drove in a taximo to his photographer-in-ordinary, Mr. H. Walter Barnett, of Knightsbridge.
There followed him from the cab, wrapped in an old newspaper, the robes of a D. Litt. Oxon.
In the studio he robed himself, wondering as he did so whether he looked like a bishop new to the business or like a bishop who had been in business for some time.
That his appearance was essentially bishop-like he did not doubt, nor will our readers, to whom we are enabled to offer a print of the successful photograph.
Mark Twain paid another visit to-day to quite another kind of establishment.
He went to the great British debating chamber at Westminster, and viewed the various places of interest.
The cicerone of the “Innocent Abroad” was Mr. Henniker Heaton, who naturally took occasion to unburden his views as to penny postage on the distinguished humorist.
They afterwards lunched together, and Mark Twain cracked some of his best jokes, so that other M.P.’s envied the luck of Mr. Henniker Heaton
Mr. Sydney Buxton, the Postmaster-General, was also at the lunch, and with him Mr. Twain had a long conversation about penny postage between England and America.
Mr. Twain was startled to-day by the news that his daughter had been in a steamer collision.
She was a passenger by the Rosalind, which, while entering the harbour at Halifax, collided with a coasting steamer.
The latter was cut down to the water’s edge, but the Rosalind was able to rescue the passengers and proceed.
Sam’s A.D. of Aug. 22, 1907 recalled the luncheon:
The luncheon had a purpose, and lasted two hours, but it didn’t last long enough to get down to the purpose. The twelve or fifteen men present had been chosen with an eye to that purpose, which was political and commercial, and of international importance. Mr. Sydney Buxton, the Postmaster-General, was present, also T.P. O’Connor, M.P., also the Earl of Crawford and Balcarras. I think all the rest were M.P.’s. I understood that all present favored the scheme—or rather the two schemes, for there were two; I had a scheme and Henniker-Heaton had a scheme, and our idea was to join our strength and work for both schemes; both were to be freely discussed at the luncheon, and I was to have a private heart to heart talk with the Postmaster General afterwards. Henniker-Heaton has for years been the diligent, acute, and tireless apostle of cheap ocean postage, and in spite of all kinds of official and parliamentary opposition— except the intelligent kind—he has carried the bulk of his dream to a successful conclusion [MTFWE 85]. Note: David Alexander Edward Lindsay, 27th Earl of Crawford and 10th Earl of Balcarres (1871-1940)
In the evening Sam was given another dinner at the Savoy Hotel. The London Tribune, July 3, 1907, p.6, reported this event and a few others who had been at the above luncheon:
DINNER TO MARK TWAIN
———
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Brittain gave a dinner at the Savoy Hotel last night to Mark Twain. Those present were: Lord Curzon of Kedleston, Sir George Taubman Goldie, the Earl of Malmesbury, Lady Liangsttock [sic Langattock] , Professor Sir E. Ray Lankester, Lady Bigham, Lady Parker, Major General H.D. Hutchinson, Lady Woods, Lady Meyrick, Sir Robert Harvey, Sir John Gray Hill, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lee, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Hope Hawkins, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Ingram, Mr. and Mrs. C. Arthur Pearson, Miss Teresa de Riego, Miss Marie Corelli, and Senator Chauncey M. Depew.
Mark Twain was entertained at the House of Commons at luncheon by Mr. Henniker Heaton, M.P., and among the guests were the Earl of Crawford, Mr. Sydney Buxton (Postmaster-General), Mr. Walter, Major-General [Hugh] McCalmont, Sir Charles Boxall, Mr. T.P. O’Connor, M.P. Mr. Mostyn Piggott, and Sir Benjamin Stone, M.P.
Isabel Lyon’s journal (in Halifax): Foggy Halifax. Took a walk, but mostly we rested. It’s a dreary little town, but it’s on the land and we have fires in our rooms, and the Nova Scotians are sweet gentle souls. Mr. Dennis, owner of the Halifax Herald called on Santa and me. He is like a maimed bird, for some dread disease has paralized his hip bone and he is very little; as small as a swallow which he resembles. Today’s paper had news of the King. Santa and I walked up near the citadel and we rest a lot. Halifax is built on a contracted cheap plan, and is very depressing on a dull day, after you have studied the squat architecture and gone through the shops and seen the few soldiers and driven in the very beautiful and natural park. But the air is good, and we can rest, and are too far from home to hurry back. The reporters made the most of Mark Twain’s daughter being a passenger, so of course the King has heard of it in London and cabled over hoping Santa has suffered no harm. The dear wise beloved King [MTP 79-80]. Note: Sam’s cable is not extant. William Dennis (1856-1920).
H. Walter Barnett, London photographer sent a note with proofs, the “result of yesterday’s Sitting” [MTP].
Wilfred Blakiston wrote for The Children’s Country Holidays Fund, London to ask Sam to write “a short appeal” on their behalf which would help raise funds to send poor London children to the country for two weeks each summer [MTP].
Graham Buckley to ask if he might send a complete set of Twain’s books to America for signing, since Sam had promised him in January 1901 he would do so. He had met Sam twice at the Lotos Club. He also asked Sam to accept an enclosed, privately published book, not specified [MTP].
Albert Chancellor wrote on Norfolk House, Richmond, Surrey stationery, listing off 18 famous persons whose signed photos he had. He would be glad to pay for a cabinet photo of Clemens [MTP].
Edward Fabes wrote from Westminster: “I was greatly amused when reading of your suggestion for your funeral arrangements. Thinking perhaps you would like one or two Epitaphs to choose from, I have taken the liberty of sending a few” [MTP]. Note: epitaphs, not too clever, in the file.
Max Fischer & Alex Fischer sent a telegram from Paris, in French, an invite to come there [MTP].
Lady Augusta Gregory wrote from Gort, Ireland to Sam:
Dear Mark Twain— / I am very sorry not to be in London during your short visit just to say a word of welcome—If any good chance should bring you to Ireland on your way home, it would be a great honour & pleasure to me to see you here, I need hardly say that—
I never forget that evening I spent with you & those dear to you, it was a beautiful hour & a great privilege—of healing—
I had put aside for you somet time ago this little book I send, with legends of our saints— legends still living, for our people have never lost the belief in the invisible world, & even the passing & repassing from one to the other—If you come here I will show you some of the wells
Mr. Yeats who has just arrived here sends his best regards—& I am always sincerely yours…[MTP]. Notes: the “little book” she sent: A Book of Saints and Wonders Put Down Here by Lady Gregory According to the Old Writings and Memory of the People of Ireland (1906)
not in Gribben. William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), active in societies that attempted an Irish literary revival; won the Nobel Prize in Literature 1923. With Lady Gregory he founded the Irish Theatre, which was to become the Abbey Theatre, and served as its chief playwright; see Gribben 790.
John L. Griffiths wrote from Liverpool on American Consular Service letterhead, asking if Sam could “spend the day, July 11th, following the Lord Mayor’s dinner in Liverpool, with us in our home in Cheshire” [MTP].
Mary Langdon wrote a marginally legible letter wondering if Sam was any relation [MTP].
L. Lind-af-Hageby wrote from London to ask for “a few minutes interview” on the topic of vivisection [MTP].
Ronald Maxwell wrote a letter pasting his article from the Glasgow Evening Times of July 2,
“Mark Twain as Historian.” He wrote under the article, “Would Mr S.L. Clemens glance at a very few typed sheets, by post…and, if he approves, of the style, would he give the writer a CHANCE OF A START by recommending his work to some book publisher…These London publishers say they want novelty in style; but they are really afraid of anything original.” Maxwell had a book MS, “Desert Islands” to publish [MTP].
Marjorie P. Munro, sister of David Munro, requested a few minutes interview [MTP].
James Painter, an “Old Englishman” about Sam’s age, wrote from London enclosing “Ode to America” that he hoped would be read at the Lord Mayor’s Dinner [MTP].
Patterson & Co. wrote from London sending a box of their “Marich Cigarettes, though we are aware that Cigars are more favored by you…we owe you a great deal for…Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn” [MTP].
Mary L. Prichard & Theodora L. Adams wrote from London to plead for him to write a book about the horrors of vivisection. They enclosed an article, not in the file [MTP].
Arthur Salmon wrote from London to thank Clemens for “The Jumping Frog” and to praise other American writers [MTP].
Francis Reginald Statham wrote to ask for “a few minutes…to give you a call—you possibly remember that over years we were in correspondence, I think upon some object of the South African war” [MTP].
J.S. Willox wrote on Pearson’s Weekly letterhead, London asking for “a single sentence” he could use under the heading “The proudest moment of my life” [MTP].
Bessie Strumer wrote from London asking if he would order scarves—she fed him a long sob story about her poverty, trouble with her eyes, and that Sir Henry Irving’s last act was to send her ten pounds for a purse. “There is no room in the world for women over 40” [MTP].