August 28 Wednesday – In Tuxedo Park, N.Y. Sam wrote to Dorothy Quick: “Dorothy dear,

I am writing you a real letter, and it will go to you in a day or two. But this is only just a line, to send you my love & say how glad we are that you are coming, and that we can have you one day earlier—which is delightful” [MTP; MTAq 47]. Note: MTAq erroneously puts this to “early August 1907,” but there was no change of plans on the earlier visit to come one day earlier. MTP puts it at Aug. 28, which is judged to be correct.

Isabel Lyon’s journal: The King & I dined with the Davies – Ogdens tonight. Mr. & Mrs. Mason were there. Oh deadlies—and Mr. McKim and a young Mr. Baker, [George Barr Baker] a co-editor of Everybody’s Magazine and a nice man. He it was who wrote [see Oct. 21, 1906] from the Players last winter to say that a little English girl wanted the joy of shaking the King’s hand and that little girl was Dorothy Butes.

Today I spent some time going over a few of the old letters and found 6 or 7 from Mr. Aldrich. I don’t believe they will be of much value to Mr. Greenslet, but they were a pleasure for the King for there was the first letter ever written by Aldrich to the King, and calling him “Dear Sir”. Then the second letter calling him Dear Mr. Clemens, but addressing him on the envelope as Samuel C. Clemens. And the King said he couldn’t imagine a time when Aldrich didn’t know his initials. These 2 letters were written about an apology made to the King for crediting him with a poem about 3 aces. A poem about imitation of the “Heathen Chinee”, and in a letter which Aldrich published in the little paper he was editing—Every other Saturday—the King said he wasn’t in the imitation business. Then there were the letters Aldrich wrote after he had complained that the King hadn’t given him any photograph of himself, and the King started in and sent him a photo a day until he had sent between 40 and 50. The vast bulk of them, though, going out with a New Year’s mail. But the best thing was a postal card from Mr. Twichell. It must have been written about 1877 and it advised Mr. Clemens to read the verses that appeared in that morning’s Courant—verses written by one Omar; verses that had moved Mr. Twichell, that he hastened to recommend to his friend. There were postal cards from Moncure D. Conway; one asking to have his overshoes sent on to him (he had been visiting the Clemens in Hartford) and another one asking for stray mail. The King said that Conway had been such a troublesome visitor—always behind time—always keeping them waiting when they’d start out for a drive. And when it came train time the King had to push him into a carriage; they reached the corner of Forest St. and Conway said “Oh wait, I’ve forgotten my umbrella”. But the King told Patrick to drive right on, that the umbrella could be sent by express [MTP TS 94-96]. Note: Gribben adds for this day: Sam spoke to Isabel about “Dr. Lord’s Lectures on Roman History— etc. took 200 subscriptions in Hartford in 12 days. Canvassed that book for 26 yrs” [Gribben 423]. Note: John Lord (1810-1894), Beacon Lights of History. 8 vols. (1884-1896); only Sam’s vol. 1 survives; Sam also mentioned on Aug. 31.

Alice Von Versen (née Clemens) wrote from her estate near the Baltic Sea, after receiving Sam’s letter by way of Mr. Schaffler as she was passing through Berlin. She asked for his picture [MTP].

Clemens A.D. for this day is listed by MTP.