January 15 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frances Nunnally.
Where are you, dear? At school? I suppose so, but you haven’t told me.
What I am anxious to know is, can’t you steal a day or two & run up & see us? Miss Lyon & I will go down & board your train at Philadelphia & escort you up. Or, we will go all the way to Baltimore if you prefer. And gladly.
Can you come, dear? And will you? If it isn’t possible to come now, will you name a date & come later? Don’t say no, dear, say yes. / With love, SLC [MTP; MTAq 97].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “I went around to see Charlie Boyogian today and he gave me a wonderful Persian tray” [MTP: IVL TS 8]. Note: Boyogian’s was a NYC rug importer.
In the evening during billiards play, Sam felt chilled and by the next morning he was in bed with a bad cold [NY Times Jan. 20, 1908, p.9 “Mark Twain No Worse”]. Note: The “engagement” that Sam rushed to, mentioned in the article, was not identified.
Rev. Washington Gladden wrote from Columbus, Ohio to ask Sam if he still lectured or read in public because the women of his church “have it in their heads that they want to hear you, here in Columbus” [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote on the letter, “Ansd.”
Joe Goodman wrote from Alameda, Calif to Sam.
I learned to-day, through a letter from Sam Davis and a conversation with Tufts, that they, unknown to me, have been pestering you in different ways with solicitations in my behalf.
They meant well, beyond doubt, and I suppose I should be grateful to them; but I’m not, by a damned sight, and I don’t want you to pay any attention to their requests, or anybody else’s, concerning me. If I should ever wish a favor of you, I shall walk up to the captain’s office myself and ask it.
It is true that I’ve encountered a financial typhoon—just as you have, I see. But I shall weather it through; or, if not, I will go down without a signal of distress. The thing that really worries most of my friends is that I have called upon them to repay a part, at least, of what they owe me. But Tufts is not in that list.
Hoping this may help you out of a lot of annoyance, / Yours ever … [MTP].
N.W. Halsey of N.W. Halsey & Co. Bankers, NYC wrote to Sam. “The family cheerfully forgives you for almost anything,—including the sin of having $51,000. cash, that isn’t cash in the eyes of anybody but the assessor., but when it comes to embracing a stronger-lady in broad daylight in Fifth Ave it is another matter and would seem to require a word of explanation” [MTP].
John D. Williams wrote to send to Sam, at the request of Daniel Frohman, tickets for the Criterion Theatre next Saturday matinee [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote on the letter, “Answd. Jan. 17, ‘08”
Elisabeth Marbury wrote to Miss Lyon, sending a circular by John W. Postgate for dramatizing JA [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote on the letter, “Mr. Clemens would suggest that Miss Marbury let him make a congtract for 6 months”