July 14 Sunday – Sam and Ashcroft were en route to New York on the S.S. Minnetonka. This from a Mark Twain dispatch to the NY Times from London, July 17: “Left the Channel Sunday at 1:50 in doubtful weather and sighted the Scilly Islands ten miles off. At 6 o’clock ran into a dense fog, which broke into patches during the night” [July 18, p.4, “From Twain by Wireless”].
Harry E. Brittain wrote from Westminster to send Sam a photo that appeared in the Sphere; he asked Ashcroft if he could obtain Sam’s autograph on the photo [MTP].
Frederick Rathbone wrote from London to Ashcroft, advertising “the finest collection in the world of Wedgwood portraits of Americans & European celebrities” [MTP].
Dodd Lyons Tinsley sent Sam a telegram from London: “From great admirers wishing you pleasant voyage and safe return home always remembering Begum of Bengal” [MTP].
Joe Twichell wrote from Hartford to Sam.
Dear Old Mark, / You will soon be getting ashore and I want to be on hand to hug you welcome
I should almost think you would rather see an enemy though;—for a change.
What is there that could give you a new sensation but a hostile person?
I am sure I never wanted to see you so much as now—which is saying a very, very great deal. You have such a lot of unprecedented things to tell!
This is to let you know that I am to be on the pulpit duty at Plymouth Church next Sunday (July 21) and that I can pay you a call either Saturday or Monday if you are anywhere accessible. I shall not be surprised however to hear that you are submerged in engagements, and that I’d best wait till another time. Harmony and I, you bet, have had our telescope on you sitting up there on the top of the world these last weeks—as you and I followed the lads going up Mont Blanc when we were in Chamouni.
Its queer—but somehow your conquering hero progress through England has revived our memories of the early days of you and our acquaintance—when we lived in Willard st, and we were all young.—and Harmony used to rant of sorry for you because you had no home.
Love to the girls and to Miss Lyon [MTP].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “We loafed today and rested and rested, but too I worked over the covering of books and furniture” [MTP 84].