February 27 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:
“Mr. Clemens was very, very interesting for during and after dinner he discussed the famous Beecher trial. Mr. Clemens had said at the time, and he still says that guilty or not, Beecher should have publicly denied the charge the day after it appeared in the press, for the honor of the woman, he should have done it” [MTP: TS 41].
Isabel Lyon’s journal #2: “Telegraphed Mr. Thayer. Wrote to Mr. H.C. Greene about Dublin house mentioned by Mr. Dana” [MTP TS 6]. Note: Henry Copley Greene: Abbott H. Thayer.
At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Henry Copley Greene of Boston:
M . S. L. Clemens wishes me to say for him that through M . Charles G Dune of Philadelphia he learns that you have a house to let for the summer in Dublin. M . C. send[s] a representative to Dublin this week to look for a house for him, and he therefore wishes me to ask if you will kindly send an authorization to M . Abbot [sic] H. Thayer in Dublin, which will enable his representative to see your house [MTP].
Abbott H. Thayer sent a telegram from Dublin, N.H. to Sam. “Of course send her straight to us see our letter” [MTP]. Note: Katy Leary was investigating rental houses for Sam and family.
Isabel V. Lyon then replied for Sam to Abbott H. Thayer, referring to his telegram and correspondence with Greene:
M . Clemens directs me to write for him and thank you for your telegram with its most kind invitation; he is not well enough to accept it, and so expects to send his house keeper to Dublin this week to look for a house for him.
M . Clemens wishes me to say that he has heard that M . Henry Copley Greene of Boston has a house to let in Dublin, and that he has sent word to M . Greene asking him to send to you an authorization for his house-keeper to look at the house [MTP]. Note: Thayer’s telegram: Feb. 25.
Emma Beach Thayer wrote from Dublin, N.H. to Sam, telling him to get well and that they would be “most pleased to receive your deputy.” She advised that the “easier, though longer, way here is by way of Boston” and gave train times and directions [MTP]. Note: “deputy” would be Katy Leary. Evidently the Thayers had not been informed that Jean Clemens would accompany Katy.
Frederick A. Duneka wrote to Sam conveying an advertising scheme by an advertising agent for Sam to promote typewriters and get a free Remington if he had need of one. The agent sent Duneka “an old, faded, circular of thirty years ago, in which you talk about the typewriter” [MTP].
Alice Hegan Rice wrote to Sam, sending “a recent copy of my favorite newspaper, which contains a review of remarkable quality” [MTP]. Note: Newpaper or review not specified and not in file.
Joe Twichell wrote to Sam.
Dear Mark: / It is highly probable that I (and maybe Harmony) shall go to New York next Monday (March 6 ) for a day and possibly two days. In which case; of all the hotels public and private there to make choice of we prefer yours—for sentimental reasons chiefly.
Of course there may be, and are not unlikely to be, circumstances of one sort or another, to bar you from letting us in at that time. If it be so, it will not in the least embarrass you—we trust—to tell us of it. The hour of our arrival will be the latter part of the afternoon. Should we stay over Tuesday, we shall be off your hands from morning till evening. With care to Jean/ Affectionately yours …. [MTP]. Note: evidently Joe’s plans to be in New York on March 6 for a few days changed, as no notes were made of such a visit and Sam wrote to Joe on Mar. 7.