September 5 Tuesday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam replied by telegram to one from George B. Harvey that he was unable to come the Metropolitan Club dinner on Sept. 7 for the Russian envoys who negotiated a favorable treaty for Russia in the Russo-Japanese war. Sam would follow an explanation by letter [MTP]. Note: see Harvey’s original telegram and Lyon’s entry below.
George B. Harvey sent a telegram to Sam:
Mr. George Harvey requests the pleasure of your company to meet m. Sergius Witte and baron Rosen at dinner at the metropolitan club new york on Thursday September seventh at eight oclock. Owing to the unavoidable lateness of this invitation a reply by telegraph to franklin square new york would be appreciated [MTP]. Note: Sergei, Yulyevich Witte; Sam drafted for a reply telegram: “I cannot come, am explaining by letter. / Mark.” He then had Lyon send a fuller note as below:
Isabel Lyon wrote the explanation to Harvey for Sam:
I am still a cripple, otherwise I should be more than glad of this opportunity to meet those illustrious magicians who came here equipped with nothing but a pen & with it have divided the honors of the war with the sword. It is fair to presume that in thirty centuries, history will not get done admiring these men, who attempted what the world regarded as the impossible & achieved it [MTP]. Note: this note was published in the N.Y. Times on Sept. 10.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: Today Mr. Clemens received a telegram from Colonel Harvey [see below] asking him to dine in New York on Thursday [Sept. 7] and meet M. Sergius Witte and Baron Rosen. At first Mr. Clemens thought he would go, but he decided that it wouldn’t do at all—for he doesn’t approve of the peace and he’d have to say so. He couldn’t listen to all those tautological speeches and say Amen to even one of them—He’d spoil it all and so he telegraphed no to the Colonel [MTP TS 94].
Note: Count Sergei Yulyevich Witte (1849-1915), headed the Russian delegation which negotiated the Treaty of Portsmouth (N.H.) which ended the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese war. Despite losing on the battlefield, Russia came out well in negotiations and credit was given to Witte, as well as the title of Count. Trombley gives us another peek into Isabel Lyon’s notes for this date:
Tonight as Mr. Clemens lay on the wicker couch reading Macaulay’s Life & Letters edited by his nephew Sir Trevelyan & I was playing [the Orchestrelle] to him; he…said—“There’s one Thing I wanted to say to Clara. IN fact I have said it—& that is that she is to edit my letters when I’m dead. You can do the drudgery but she can do the editing, & it will be principally striking out” [MTOW 59]. Note: Trombley puts this excerpt to: “Aug. 19, 1905, loose page, 1903-05, Box, VC [Vassar College].”
Ralph W. Ashcroft wrote on Koy-Lo Co. letterhead to Sam. In part:
“Dear Mr. Clemens: / I thank you very, very much for your letter, and for the praise and censure it contains. I know I deserve the latter; but I was good for nearly a whole year, wasn’t I?” [MTP].
George B. Harvey sent a telegram to Sam:
Mr. George Harvey requests the pleasure of your company to meet m. Sergius Witte and baron Rosen at dinner at the metropolitan club new york on Thursday September seventh at eight oclock. Owing to the unavoidable lateness of this invitation a reply by telegraph to franklin square new york would be appreciated [MTP]. Note: Sergei, Yulyevich Witte; Sam drafted for a reply telegram: “I cannot come, am explaining by letter. / Mark.” He then had Lyon send a fuller note as below:
Isabel Lyon wrote the explanation to Harvey for Sam:
I am still a cripple, otherwise I should be more than glad of this opportunity to meet those illustrious magicians who came here equipped with nothing but a pen & with it have divided the honors of the war with the sword. It is fair to presume that in thirty centuries, history will not get done admiring these men, who attempted what the world regarded as the impossible & achieved it [MTP]. Note: this note was published in the N.Y. Times on Sept. 10.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: Today Mr. Clemens received a telegram from Colonel Harvey [see below] asking him to dine in New York on Thursday [Sept. 7] and meet M. Sergius Witte and Baron Rosen. At first Mr. Clemens thought he would go, but he decided that it wouldn’t do at all—for he doesn’t approve of the peace and he’d have to say so. He couldn’t listen to all those tautological speeches and say Amen to even one of them—He’d spoil it all and so he telegraphed no to the Colonel [MTP TS 94].
Note: Count Sergei Yulyevich Witte (1849-1915), headed the Russian delegation which negotiated the Treaty of Portsmouth (N.H.) which ended the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese war. Despite losing on the battlefield, Russia came out well in negotiations and credit was given to Witte, as well as the title of Count. Trombley gives us another peek into Isabel Lyon’s notes for this date:
Tonight as Mr. Clemens lay on the wicker couch reading Macaulay’s Life & Letters edited by his nephew Sir Trevelyan & I was playing [the Orchestrelle] to him; he…said—“There’s one Thing I wanted to say to Clara. IN fact I have said it—& that is that she is to edit my letters when I’m dead. You can do the drudgery but she can do the editing, & it will be principally striking out” [MTOW 59]. Note: Trombley puts this excerpt to: “Aug. 19, 1905, loose page, 1903-05, Box, VC [Vassar College].”
Ralph W. Ashcroft wrote on Koy-Lo Co. letterhead to Sam. In part:
“Dear Mr. Clemens: / I thank you very, very much for your letter, and for the praise and censure it contains. I know I deserve the latter; but I was good for nearly a whole year, wasn’t I?” [MTP].
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