May 15 Monday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Charles Casey in Ireland. Casey was the supposed president of the “Mark Twain Club” of Pollerton Castle, Carlow, in Ireland. Casey had even sent detailed “official proceedings.” Sam saw through Casey’s “club” and guessed that he was the only member. In Sam’s hand on one of Casey’s envelopes: “from an unknown idiot in Ireland.” Years later, a man in Sydney, Australia introduced himself as the president of the Mark Twain Club and admitted to being the only member.

“Either way will satisfy me, for I propose to come over next year & drink with the Club, in any case—& I can’t lose a glass, even if you be the Club all by yourself, because in that case I should insist upon drinking with all the imaginary member” [MTLE 1: 60]. Note: see Fall 1993 Mark Twain Journal volume 31 p. 28-30 for a discussion of “Mr. Blank” and the Mark Twain Club.

Sam also wrote to Howells (Gribben gives this date; MTHL gives this or May 8) about Dean Sage’s writing:

“He has an artlessness, an absence of self-consciousness, a ditto of striving after effect, & a pauseless canter, that make the reader forget the writer & become himself the actor in the adventures” [MTHL 1: 138].

A.G. Chester wrote from Chicago to urge Sam to lecture there [MTP].

A.H. Mead wrote again for The Prisoners Friends’ Corp., Hartford, to say Sam’s letter had been rec’d and to inform him that Ira Gladding had been re-arrested for stealing boots [MTP].