October 12 Thursday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to George B. Harvey.
Dear Uncle George: / Yes, I see the situation now, & recognise that it is unassailably right. The dinner scheme is unique & just a jewel; & if you don’t say anything about king-pin they’ll come, & maybe forget & talk king-pin themselves; but they used to be mighty human, & maybe they are yet. When Howells was on the Atlantic I mapped out a blamed good thing: a skeleton for a short story, 12 men to invent the story & fill up the skeleton, each in his own way. He got only 3 recruits—himself, one other, & myself. Howells said that if he had suppressed my name, he could have secured the list, but that the boys frankly said they could do music of their own & they should have to decline to dance to mine. But never mind: whatever way you put up the scheme it is a safe gamble it will go gaily & surely to a success.
I’ve got a subject for a speech: I wish Tom Reed was here to abuse it & scoff at it & carry on! [MTP].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: Headache. I think it’s all, all a dream. Even as I sat in the fireplace niche after dinner and Mr. Clemens walked up and down the room with hands behind him, the pink pretty palms turned out, a dear fashion of his, even then I didn’t find any reality to it— only a spirit living, only an exquisite dream.
Santa [Clara] writes such good things about the house at 21 Fifth Avenue. She’s there now and finds it beautiful. It always has the feeling that it ought to be, or has been, a Bishop’s residence. It’s ecclesiastical [MTP TS 105].
Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Wrote Miss Sherry, sending the letter to Katie to supply to address, asking what amount of money she put into the Book Lovers Stock in 1903” [MTP TS 30]. Note: Miss Margaret F. Sherry was a much loved nurse of Livy’s; Clemens had touted Book Lovers Stock, which evidently failed.
Margaret Higginson Barney wrote from Boston to Sam, having heard he would be in Beantown. Mrs. Pearmain had asked her to come and see him on Sunday Oct. 22. Her handwriting is atrocious [MTP].
Dear Uncle George: / Yes, I see the situation now, & recognise that it is unassailably right. The dinner scheme is unique & just a jewel; & if you don’t say anything about king-pin they’ll come, & maybe forget & talk king-pin themselves; but they used to be mighty human, & maybe they are yet. When Howells was on the Atlantic I mapped out a blamed good thing: a skeleton for a short story, 12 men to invent the story & fill up the skeleton, each in his own way. He got only 3 recruits—himself, one other, & myself. Howells said that if he had suppressed my name, he could have secured the list, but that the boys frankly said they could do music of their own & they should have to decline to dance to mine. But never mind: whatever way you put up the scheme it is a safe gamble it will go gaily & surely to a success.
I’ve got a subject for a speech: I wish Tom Reed was here to abuse it & scoff at it & carry on! [MTP].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: Headache. I think it’s all, all a dream. Even as I sat in the fireplace niche after dinner and Mr. Clemens walked up and down the room with hands behind him, the pink pretty palms turned out, a dear fashion of his, even then I didn’t find any reality to it— only a spirit living, only an exquisite dream.
Santa [Clara] writes such good things about the house at 21 Fifth Avenue. She’s there now and finds it beautiful. It always has the feeling that it ought to be, or has been, a Bishop’s residence. It’s ecclesiastical [MTP TS 105].
Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Wrote Miss Sherry, sending the letter to Katie to supply to address, asking what amount of money she put into the Book Lovers Stock in 1903” [MTP TS 30]. Note: Miss Margaret F. Sherry was a much loved nurse of Livy’s; Clemens had touted Book Lovers Stock, which evidently failed.
Margaret Higginson Barney wrote from Boston to Sam, having heard he would be in Beantown. Mrs. Pearmain had asked her to come and see him on Sunday Oct. 22. Her handwriting is atrocious [MTP].
Entry Date
Links to Twain's Geography Entries