August 30 Wednesday – Sam was back in Dublin, N.H.
Isabel Lyon’s journal:There’s a copy of the Boston Globe here—and each man’s opinion of peace hops gleefully along on the heels of the last speaker. Same thought, same Hurrah! Mr. Clemens’s words alone stand as the words of a man thinking out the problem for himself and daring to speak his thought. In fact he couldn’t not speak his thought, for his thoughts are like great blazing torches, bursting into flame by force of the life within them and unextinguishable [MTP TS 92].
Jesse J. Goldberg, attorney, wrote from N.Y.C. to Sam. Goldberg had been approached by “a persistent book agent one of the banes of civilization” to buy Mark Twain’s set of books. The agent didn’t know if Twain would write more volumes. Goldberg wanted the answer directly [MTP]. Note: Sam’s reply could not have come earlier than ca. Sept. 1.
Sam’s essay, “The Treaty of Portsmouth” ran in the Boston Globe [Camfield’s Bibliog.]. Schmidt calls this a “faked interview” based on Sam’s statement about the treaty, which may be why Scharnhorst did not include it.
Dr. G.W. Kirch wrote to Sam trying to justify his fees. He explained the time it took to make daily visits (requested by Sam) on Livy in Florence, it never taking less than 2 & 3/4 hours to make. He was also asked to inspect drainage and sewers and report their condition to the board of health [MTP].
Moses Allen Starr wrote to Sam: “I have received the enclosed through Mr Wm Barbour of 25 Broad St. and send them on to you. If you do not care to read them then just return them to me.” The letter,dated July 19, 1905 is from G.W. French to William Barbour. French had spent some $440. The letter seems to be an indirect support of Dr. Kirch [MTP].
August 30 ca. – Sam gave instructions to Isabel V. Lyon to thank Louis F. Post, editor of The Public (Chicago) for his Aug. 25, enclosing an Aug. 19 issue with Tolstoy’s article [MTP]. Note: The MTP catalogs this as “on or after Aug. 25.” Five days estimated postal time is allowed here.
Isabel also answered, for Sam, Ralph W. Ashcroft’s Aug. 28 letter. Isabel Lyon replied for Sam to Ashcroft’s Aug. 28: “Mr. Clemens advice is distinctly to do nothing of the kind. But if you do it then leave him out entirely” [MTP]. Note: MTP assigns this as “on or after Aug. 28.” Two days postal time is allowed here for an estimated Aug. 30 response.