January 12 Friday – Fred Nye of the Sunday N.Y. World wrote asking if Sam would write for their “humorous campaign in favor of the most down-trodden and abused person in the United States—Father.” On or just after this was received Sam answered: “I think it unlikely that the Harpers would approve, but even if they did I have no intention of writing a miscellaneous article on any body.”
In a side note, probably to Isabel V. Lyon, he directed her to ask a price that would: “Suppress these people some time by saying I will agree to write an article (of not fewer than 00 2000 words & not more than 5000) for $5000 the contents of the article not to fall short of 2000 words and not to exceed 5000” [MTP].
Sam also replied to the Jan. 10 from John Grier Hibben declining to speak at Princeton Univ. [MTP].
Sam also wrote to John Horner in Belfast, Ireland.
I find the book enchanting. In my opinion it belongs away up—or away down whichever may be proper—on the summit in midsky or at the base of the foothills where sits serene the Sweet Singer of Michigan, Queen & Empress of the Hogwash Guild until now. Hogwash is a term which was invented by the night foreman of the newspaper whereunto I was attached 40 yrs ago, in the capacity of local reporter, to describe my literary efforts. Many years ago I began to collect Hog-wash literature & I am glad of the chance to add to it the extraordinary book which you have sent to me [MTP]. Note: Gribben identifies the volume as Irene Iddesleigh (1897), by Mrs. Emanda M’Kittrick Ros; Horner would also send “Barry Pain’s humorous criticism” of the work and another Ros book on Apr. 21 [589]. Note: in Horner’s of Apr. 21 he referred to this as “your letter of 13 ”.
Sam also replied to the Jan. 3 from Mrs. Laura K. Hudson’s about his Dec. 17, 1877 Whittier birthday “debacle”:
I am forever your debtor for reminding me of that curious passage in my life. During the first year or two after it happened I could not bear to think of it, my pain & shame were so intense, and my sense of having been a fool so settled, established, confirmed. I drove the episode entirely from my mind; and so all these twenty-eight or twenty-nine years I have lived in the conviction that my performance of that time was coarse, vulgar & wholly destitute of humor. But your suggestion that you & your family found humor in it moved me to look into the matter; so I commissioned a Boston typewriter to delve into the Boston papers of that bygone time, and send me a copy of it. It came this morning, & if there is any vulgarity about it I am unable to discover it; if it is not innocently and appropriately funny I am no judge. It is my intention that within the next two months the public shall hear from it and sit in judgement upon it once more. By & by I will see to it that you get a copy [MTP].
Clemens’ A.D. for this day included comments on Whittier’s 70 birthday celebration in 1877 as compared to Twain’s own 70 celebration organized by Colonel Harvey. Then he digressed into an anecdote of cigars he gave out at one of his Monday Evening Club meetings in Hartford, with the men thinking they were cheap and discarding them on the way out. He closed with a discussion of a meeting at Rev. Frank Goodwin’s house, including Joe Twichell, Charles Dudley Warner, Colonel Greene, Rev. Dr. Burton, Hamersley and son Will, Charles E. Perkins, J. Hammond Trumbull, Henry C. Robinson, and A.C. Dunham [AMT 1: 267-272].
Isabel Lyon’s journal:
Headache, savage.
The dictating continues and Mr. Clemens finds it enchanting and an inspiration. “I would like to have relays of shorthanders, and keep them at it for six hours on a stretch.”
Mr. Paine began classifying the assembled autobiographical papers and matter for biography this morning. It is satisfying to see him at his task, for he touches it with the hands of one caring for every scrap and realizing the value of it. When Elizabeth Dodge was here at tea this afternoon Mr. Clemens came in from a down town trip, and he told her that she was like the lovely Mrs. Osborne he met at dinner at Mrs. Kinnicutts. He told Mrs. Osborne that he was going to dine with the Dodges in a short time and invited her to be there too. All this he told Elizabeth, who was enchanted by his naif way of inviting, for Mrs. Osborne is Elizabeth’s aunt [MTP TS 9-10].
Chatto & Windus sent Sam a financial statement with check for £131:0:6 [MTP].
John Larkin, attorney wrote to Sam that he was trying to reach Gillis & Geogehan, about the “obstreperous parts” of the heating system at 21 Fifth Ave, and would “beat into the heads” of same, “the annoyance that your daughters have suffered” [MTP].
Edgar Gardner Murphy wrote from Montgomery, Ala. to Sam, sending him a copy of his book The Present South. A letter of praise for the book from John Hay, dated Dec. 17, 1904 is in the file [MTP]. Note: not in Gribben.
Francis Stanbern wrote from Vienna, Austria to request, in overly polite bowing and scraping language, for Mark Twain’s autograph [MTP].
In his A.D. for this day Sam mentioned King Leopold briefly, revealing his interest remained even though he had “retired” from the poorly organized Congo Reform Assoc. (Jan. 8) to Barbour [Hawkins 168].
In a side note, probably to Isabel V. Lyon, he directed her to ask a price that would: “Suppress these people some time by saying I will agree to write an article (of not fewer than 00 2000 words & not more than 5000) for $5000 the contents of the article not to fall short of 2000 words and not to exceed 5000” [MTP].
Sam also replied to the Jan. 10 from John Grier Hibben declining to speak at Princeton Univ. [MTP].
Sam also wrote to John Horner in Belfast, Ireland.
I find the book enchanting. In my opinion it belongs away up—or away down whichever may be proper—on the summit in midsky or at the base of the foothills where sits serene the Sweet Singer of Michigan, Queen & Empress of the Hogwash Guild until now. Hogwash is a term which was invented by the night foreman of the newspaper whereunto I was attached 40 yrs ago, in the capacity of local reporter, to describe my literary efforts. Many years ago I began to collect Hog-wash literature & I am glad of the chance to add to it the extraordinary book which you have sent to me [MTP]. Note: Gribben identifies the volume as Irene Iddesleigh (1897), by Mrs. Emanda M’Kittrick Ros; Horner would also send “Barry Pain’s humorous criticism” of the work and another Ros book on Apr. 21 [589]. Note: in Horner’s of Apr. 21 he referred to this as “your letter of 13 ”.
Sam also replied to the Jan. 3 from Mrs. Laura K. Hudson’s about his Dec. 17, 1877 Whittier birthday “debacle”:
I am forever your debtor for reminding me of that curious passage in my life. During the first year or two after it happened I could not bear to think of it, my pain & shame were so intense, and my sense of having been a fool so settled, established, confirmed. I drove the episode entirely from my mind; and so all these twenty-eight or twenty-nine years I have lived in the conviction that my performance of that time was coarse, vulgar & wholly destitute of humor. But your suggestion that you & your family found humor in it moved me to look into the matter; so I commissioned a Boston typewriter to delve into the Boston papers of that bygone time, and send me a copy of it. It came this morning, & if there is any vulgarity about it I am unable to discover it; if it is not innocently and appropriately funny I am no judge. It is my intention that within the next two months the public shall hear from it and sit in judgement upon it once more. By & by I will see to it that you get a copy [MTP].
Clemens’ A.D. for this day included comments on Whittier’s 70 birthday celebration in 1877 as compared to Twain’s own 70 celebration organized by Colonel Harvey. Then he digressed into an anecdote of cigars he gave out at one of his Monday Evening Club meetings in Hartford, with the men thinking they were cheap and discarding them on the way out. He closed with a discussion of a meeting at Rev. Frank Goodwin’s house, including Joe Twichell, Charles Dudley Warner, Colonel Greene, Rev. Dr. Burton, Hamersley and son Will, Charles E. Perkins, J. Hammond Trumbull, Henry C. Robinson, and A.C. Dunham [AMT 1: 267-272].
Isabel Lyon’s journal:
Headache, savage.
The dictating continues and Mr. Clemens finds it enchanting and an inspiration. “I would like to have relays of shorthanders, and keep them at it for six hours on a stretch.”
Mr. Paine began classifying the assembled autobiographical papers and matter for biography this morning. It is satisfying to see him at his task, for he touches it with the hands of one caring for every scrap and realizing the value of it. When Elizabeth Dodge was here at tea this afternoon Mr. Clemens came in from a down town trip, and he told her that she was like the lovely Mrs. Osborne he met at dinner at Mrs. Kinnicutts. He told Mrs. Osborne that he was going to dine with the Dodges in a short time and invited her to be there too. All this he told Elizabeth, who was enchanted by his naif way of inviting, for Mrs. Osborne is Elizabeth’s aunt [MTP TS 9-10].
Chatto & Windus sent Sam a financial statement with check for £131:0:6 [MTP].
John Larkin, attorney wrote to Sam that he was trying to reach Gillis & Geogehan, about the “obstreperous parts” of the heating system at 21 Fifth Ave, and would “beat into the heads” of same, “the annoyance that your daughters have suffered” [MTP].
Edgar Gardner Murphy wrote from Montgomery, Ala. to Sam, sending him a copy of his book The Present South. A letter of praise for the book from John Hay, dated Dec. 17, 1904 is in the file [MTP]. Note: not in Gribben.
Francis Stanbern wrote from Vienna, Austria to request, in overly polite bowing and scraping language, for Mark Twain’s autograph [MTP].
In his A.D. for this day Sam mentioned King Leopold briefly, revealing his interest remained even though he had “retired” from the poorly organized Congo Reform Assoc. (Jan. 8) to Barbour [Hawkins 168].
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