May 3 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Mr. Clemens’s inspiration for this morning. ‘Get up a stench in England about the Gospel. Have 200 copies printed anonymously there, uncopyrighted, too” [MTP TS 69].

The Independent (NY) ran a brief review of Men and Things (reissue of Mark Twain’s Library of Humor) p. 1046. Tenney: “In ‘this curious book’ there is little humor. ‘It would seem that each author is represented by his inferior work only,’ and much of it ‘is rather of the mournful sort’” [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Seventh Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1983 p. 170]. 

Mary E. Bell wrote from Shirley, Mass. to ask Sam for “any kind word” on her sketches. She referred to an interview with Sam and sent regards to Miss Clemens and Miss Lyon [MTP].