April 25 Wednesday – The New York Times, p. 13, “What is Doing in Society” included a squib about Mark Twain and Miss Ida M. Tarbell to be the guests of honor at a May 1 evening celebration in the Gibson Studios for the tenth anniversary of the incorporation of the College Women’s Club. Fatout does not list his appearance; newspapers give the event as May 4, when Sam was under doctor’s orders “to remain in bed two or three days” [May 4 to Teller].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Jean, noon. Eve.” [MTP TS 68].
Frederick J. Hall wrote from Tarrytown, N.Y. to Sam, enclosing a letter by Sam he advised should be burned (not in file now). “The circumstances that prompted you to write it were, I think, as follow: J.W. suborned one of our agents and secured a number of copies of Gen’l Grant’s Memoirs, which he advertised at cut rates. Our firm brought suit, and while the decision was in our favor, it was—like most legal decisions—ambiguous and unsatisfactory.
You felt J.W. deserved a flaying, but later it was decided to let the matter rest where it was” [MTP]. Note: The MTP catalogs Sam’s reply as “ca. 27 April.”
Frederick W. Davis wrote from Brooklyn to Sam.
Dear Mr. Clemens:– / I had a very interesting call last Sunday morning on a friend of yours, Mr. Bloodgood H. Cutter, the “poet Lariat”. He is now in his 89th year and his faculties seem to be as bright as ever. He remembers the adventures on the “Quaker City” as if they were but yesterday, and told me some very laughable ones. One in particular was where he went to visit the Emperor of “Roosia” with your company. He said the Captain, (Duncan) took him aside and remarked: “Now Cutter, when you visit the Emperor of Russia you must not hand him any of your poetry”! He told me how the ship’s officers were worried over the subject of court dress for all the members of the ship, and how he put on a new velvet suit he had purchased in Genoa. The waves were rather high when they were about to embark in a row-boat for the shore, and he dashed back to his stateroom for a long bombazine coat to put over the velvet clothes. He did not discover till he was in the row-boat that the long coat contained a voluminous quantity of the poetry above-mentioned. He told me all about the visit to the Emperor, who received you all so kindly, and how the members of the party made fun of him for going off with one of the court ladies, who showed him through the palace. On the way back to the ship he discovered that he had left his bombazine coat behind with all the precious poetry! He was for going back for it at once, but the Captain and others persuaded him not to go back and mar a good impression,—by offering to pay for the coat.
He told me about his climb up Mt. Vesuvius, and his poem on “Gibralter,” [sic] which he said you called “slush”! He said you and Dan and the Doctor were inclined to be a little wild on the boat, getting up dances, etc., and he was afraid he was not popular because he did not countenance such proceedings. He said Dan once dressed up in the costume of a Moor for a masquerade ball and said: “Now Cutter, look at this costume, and write me a poem on it”.
[Cutter:] “So I went down in the cabin and got pen and paper together, for I was all the time scribbling, and in about 15 minutes re-appeared with the poem on Dan’s costume”, he said.
Mr. Cutter recited about a dozen of his poems to me (there was no escape!) one being entitled as near as I can remember, “Lines Addressed to Sam, (a negro servant) on Being Presented with one of my Old Hats”. He said he was afraid you did not think very much of him because he was not “eddicated” but he intended to use his free-born American privilege of putting his thoughts into verse if he chose to. He told me about your sending a carriage up for him on your last visit near the vicinity, and appreciated it. He gave me a poem on parting, and I asked for one for you, which I herewith enclose [not extant]. If you are in that neighborhood in the near future, (Little Neck station), I would advise you to make a call on the old gentleman, as his surroundings are rather astonishing. (A large wooden figure stands in his front yard, taken from the prow of a ship’s boat) and there are many other curious things.
You may [have] forgotten that in the last ten years you have written me two or three letters, but I have not. I have dashed this off hurriedly on the typewriter thinking it might amuse you and call up old recollections. If you are ever in Brooklyn, I hope you will ring the bell at the above address and let me show you a hundred interesting things. Your popularity is ever on the increase. / Respectfully yours …[MTP]. Note: after his signature Davis added a short paragraph urging Sam to come and visit Cutter with him. “You owe it to posterity!”
Percy Stickney Grant for the Church of the Ascension, NYC wrote to Sam, enclosing a poem by Dihdwo Twe to honor Gen. Oliver Otis Howard, founder of Howard University. “What do you think of this for poetry? It just came to me from our young Liberian friend, Dihdwo Twe. It strikes me as not at all bad” [MTP].
Sumner Bass Pearmain wrote to Sam. “Just a line to remind you that Miss Lyon is to write me (or wire) what train you tke that I may meet you @ the station—you should get ticket & trunk checks for Boston Back Bay Station” [MTP].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Jean, noon. Eve.” [MTP TS 68].
Frederick J. Hall wrote from Tarrytown, N.Y. to Sam, enclosing a letter by Sam he advised should be burned (not in file now). “The circumstances that prompted you to write it were, I think, as follow: J.W. suborned one of our agents and secured a number of copies of Gen’l Grant’s Memoirs, which he advertised at cut rates. Our firm brought suit, and while the decision was in our favor, it was—like most legal decisions—ambiguous and unsatisfactory.
You felt J.W. deserved a flaying, but later it was decided to let the matter rest where it was” [MTP]. Note: The MTP catalogs Sam’s reply as “ca. 27 April.”
Frederick W. Davis wrote from Brooklyn to Sam.
Dear Mr. Clemens:– / I had a very interesting call last Sunday morning on a friend of yours, Mr. Bloodgood H. Cutter, the “poet Lariat”. He is now in his 89th year and his faculties seem to be as bright as ever. He remembers the adventures on the “Quaker City” as if they were but yesterday, and told me some very laughable ones. One in particular was where he went to visit the Emperor of “Roosia” with your company. He said the Captain, (Duncan) took him aside and remarked: “Now Cutter, when you visit the Emperor of Russia you must not hand him any of your poetry”! He told me how the ship’s officers were worried over the subject of court dress for all the members of the ship, and how he put on a new velvet suit he had purchased in Genoa. The waves were rather high when they were about to embark in a row-boat for the shore, and he dashed back to his stateroom for a long bombazine coat to put over the velvet clothes. He did not discover till he was in the row-boat that the long coat contained a voluminous quantity of the poetry above-mentioned. He told me all about the visit to the Emperor, who received you all so kindly, and how the members of the party made fun of him for going off with one of the court ladies, who showed him through the palace. On the way back to the ship he discovered that he had left his bombazine coat behind with all the precious poetry! He was for going back for it at once, but the Captain and others persuaded him not to go back and mar a good impression,—by offering to pay for the coat.
He told me about his climb up Mt. Vesuvius, and his poem on “Gibralter,” [sic] which he said you called “slush”! He said you and Dan and the Doctor were inclined to be a little wild on the boat, getting up dances, etc., and he was afraid he was not popular because he did not countenance such proceedings. He said Dan once dressed up in the costume of a Moor for a masquerade ball and said: “Now Cutter, look at this costume, and write me a poem on it”.
[Cutter:] “So I went down in the cabin and got pen and paper together, for I was all the time scribbling, and in about 15 minutes re-appeared with the poem on Dan’s costume”, he said.
Mr. Cutter recited about a dozen of his poems to me (there was no escape!) one being entitled as near as I can remember, “Lines Addressed to Sam, (a negro servant) on Being Presented with one of my Old Hats”. He said he was afraid you did not think very much of him because he was not “eddicated” but he intended to use his free-born American privilege of putting his thoughts into verse if he chose to. He told me about your sending a carriage up for him on your last visit near the vicinity, and appreciated it. He gave me a poem on parting, and I asked for one for you, which I herewith enclose [not extant]. If you are in that neighborhood in the near future, (Little Neck station), I would advise you to make a call on the old gentleman, as his surroundings are rather astonishing. (A large wooden figure stands in his front yard, taken from the prow of a ship’s boat) and there are many other curious things.
You may [have] forgotten that in the last ten years you have written me two or three letters, but I have not. I have dashed this off hurriedly on the typewriter thinking it might amuse you and call up old recollections. If you are ever in Brooklyn, I hope you will ring the bell at the above address and let me show you a hundred interesting things. Your popularity is ever on the increase. / Respectfully yours …[MTP]. Note: after his signature Davis added a short paragraph urging Sam to come and visit Cutter with him. “You owe it to posterity!”
Percy Stickney Grant for the Church of the Ascension, NYC wrote to Sam, enclosing a poem by Dihdwo Twe to honor Gen. Oliver Otis Howard, founder of Howard University. “What do you think of this for poetry? It just came to me from our young Liberian friend, Dihdwo Twe. It strikes me as not at all bad” [MTP].
Sumner Bass Pearmain wrote to Sam. “Just a line to remind you that Miss Lyon is to write me (or wire) what train you tke that I may meet you @ the station—you should get ticket & trunk checks for Boston Back Bay Station” [MTP].
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