March 23 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:  Yesterday the King, Mr. Rogers and I drove over to call on Sir Bronlow Grey’s elderly daughters who have never been off these islands. He was attorney general here and in those old days he would not let them leave, and now they are afraid to venture, I believe.

This morning the King started off on a picnic with Jean and Helen to be gone all day; and we, Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. Freeman, and the Waylands lunched with Mrs. Peck again, and again had pepperpot. Col. Frewen was there. He talked to me about South African and the Boer War and about India and his brother who sat at the other end of the table and who was the discoverer of Kipling; found his youthful contributions to some local paper to be full of interest and said that he was a rising genius, but was snubbed for his pains. And now those who snubbed him are having a bitter laugh at themselves.

Mr. Wayland said on Saturday that Mrs. Peck is reaching out for friends. People here think she is not sincere [MTP: IVL TS 36-37]. Note:  Sir Moreton Frewen; Mary Allen Hulbert Peck; Jean Spurr and Hellen Elizabeth Martin. Jean was thirteen and from Newark. Helen was twelve and from Montreal, Canada [D. Hoffman 118-19].

At the Princess Hotel in Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote to daughter Clara.

Dear heart, it isn’t “better than Mark ever done.” They used to shorten-up base-ball games to ’tend my lectures. And as for mere charity entertainments, they didn’t dast to play agin me at all, except Sundays, & then I sqwushed them. But you are coming along, dear, you are coming along. You are getting splendid notices, & I am aware that you deserve them. It makes me very glad.

We are having good times. To-day I went pic-nicking with some other children, & romped in the sand on the sea-shore about 6 hours. I returned dog-tired, & at first I thought I oughtn’t to have went, but 2 hours of billiards rested me up again.

Mr. Rogers was pretty poorly when we came down here, & Miss Lyon was not much better off, but both are in much improved condition now. There was nothing the matter with me, yet I seem to have improved a little myself.

Our sailing-date is April 11. / With heaps of love / Marcus [MTP].

Sam also wrote to daughter Jean in Greenwich, Conn.  

There is nothing to report to you, Jean dear, except the weather, & it may be pronounced perfect. To-morrow the ship will carry away a number of pleasant friends, & she didn’t bring any in their places—not a single familiar face. But no matter, there’s plenty of good times, & I like Bermuda ever so much.

I hope you will find a place that will be entirely satisfactory to you & your friends—but be sure it is close to New York, because I want you to be near Dr. Peterson, & also near enough for me to see you, & I can’t stand long land-journeys. However, you’ll find the right place, no doubt. When you think you have found it, submit it to Dr. Peterson, & if it satisfies him it will satisfy me.

Mrs. Rogers is here, now, but her health is bad, & I think the climate does not altogether agree with her.

I believe I will go to bed, now. I have been pic-nicking & billiarding 9 hours to-day.

With lots & lots of love

Father [MTP].

Sam also sent a postcard with a photo of the “Royal Palms” to Dorothy Quick in Plainfield, N.J., adding:

The weather is perfect, & if you want some of it for your own use or for sale, please let me know, & I will see that you get all you want—but our government will swindle you on the duty, as it does on all imports./ S.L.C [MTP].

Howells & Stokes wrote to Sam with Sunderland’s estimate of $450 for the sleeping porch “as designed for Miss Clemens opening over the west end of the loggia and projecting from her room.” He included specifications for the addition [MTP].

Jervis Langdon II wrote to ask Sam if he would sign the enclosed letter (not in file) or write one of his own, as a testimonial for the Hope-Jones organ to Daniel Frohman [MTP].