April 15 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to the Apr. 14 of  Margaret Blackmer.

I have your letter of yesterday, & you are a very dear Margaret, & have given me great pleasure. Now as I cipher it you are to go away with your papa Thursday the 16th (to-morrow) & will return on or “about” the 23d.

So I will look for you about the 23d. I am the honorary President of  the Children’s Theatre, & on the 23d the children will give a performance in aid of one of the great charities. Ah, they are great, those gifted children. Of course I shall be there (for I have to speak a few words,) & it would be lovely if you could go there with Miss Lyon & me. Can you? Will you? / Lovingly / SLC / C.S. of the A. [MTP]. Note: C.S. of the A. = Chief Slave of the Aquarium.

Clemens acquired another case of Queen Anne whisky [L-A MS]. Note: see June 8, 1907 for the full list of acquisition dates of whisky, intended as ammunition against Isabel Lyon.

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Hunting fixtures. / Doesn’t want article. Santa came home” [MTP: IVL TS 46].

Caroline Coddington wrote the first of several “crank” letters to Sam: “We hope our Idea will succeed in pleasing the Numerous Beings whose names will become enrolled in the various departments of the Alphabet.” Enclosed a list of A to Z standing for the Woman Department and the Man Department, as well as an envelope containing some “’mix’ for a bird’s nest” [MTP]. Note: in each letter she enclosed wood scraps and other small objects, all of which shows that insane people also loved Mark Twain.

Joe Twichell wrote to Sam.

Dear Mark:

      You were doubtless grieved to learn, if you did learn, on your arrival home that you had missed the honor of my “keep” over last Sunday.

But dry your tears. …Providence does favor some people.

I am called to New York again;—this time to attend a meeting in Carnegie Hall next Monday evning (Apr. 20) and I will lodge with you then—if you say so.

But there’s no compulsion about it, you understand./ Yours aff / Joe  [MTP].