June 14 Thursday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to Miss Martha S. Bensley (later Bruere) (1879-1953), author who had her articles on the Russian revolution published in the Mar. 1906 issue of the A.F. of Labor’s magazine, American Federationist.
I am sending you a small book. But I do not wish you to think I approve of the pictures, for I do not. I think they are scandalous. I tried hard to get the artist to put clothes on those people, but he would not do it at any price that I could afford. Please tear the pictures out, then you need not be afraid to leave the book lying around. / With kindest regards and best wishes [MTP].
Note: Sam sent Eve’s Diary; he liked to joke about the drawings without clothes. Apr. 6 entry lists Bensley as a collaborator with Charlotte Teller Johnson on a play not performed. A N.Y. Times article of Apr. 16, p.1, identifies Martha Bensley as “connected with a syndicate which supplies Russian stories for magazines.” She was questioned in the article about the wherabouts of Maxim Gorky, who had been turned out of the third hotel after the scandal involving his live-in mistress broke.
Sam also wrote to Charlotte Teller Johnson but did not send it; Instead he sent the draft to Isabel V. Lyon, writing: “I did not send this, Miss Lyon, but spewing it out relieved me.” The note he wrote to her:
That Mr. Mansfield should decline your play—or anybody’s play—is matter of business, & cannot astonish me; but that he should do it without the courtesy of a word, is a thing which does surprise me.
For many months I have had the conviction that God Almighty has got loose & is down here somewhere in disguise. Can this be He, do you think? / Sincerely Yours / SL. Clemens [MTP].
Sam also replied to the June 8 from Barbara Mullen in Moberly, Mo. “Don’t you mind that. There is good in it, & no harm. It cheers many a dry traveller with the pleasant thought that there’s at least somebody that’s full” [MTP]. Note: Mullen was a teacher at Hannibal High School.
Isabel Lyon’s journal:
Bad headache today.
Edith.
Tonight Mr. Clemens read the most readable part of the second part of “Capt. Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven”. It is delightful & he plans to “throw it all right into the autobiography”. Such a wealth of imagination. He read me an unpublishable bit from the same ms. this morning.
[written diagonally across lower portion of page:]
Eve’s Diary has come and it is charming with Lester Ralph’s illustrations. How I watched that book grow a year ago [MTP TS 83].
Sam’s A.D. of this day titled only by date dealt with Bret Harte’s character and his desire to imitate Charles Dickens; the piece was selected for MTE [263-8]. Note: Entirely about Bret Harte—his appearance, dress, writings, etc. [MTP: Autodict2].
I am sending you a small book. But I do not wish you to think I approve of the pictures, for I do not. I think they are scandalous. I tried hard to get the artist to put clothes on those people, but he would not do it at any price that I could afford. Please tear the pictures out, then you need not be afraid to leave the book lying around. / With kindest regards and best wishes [MTP].
Note: Sam sent Eve’s Diary; he liked to joke about the drawings without clothes. Apr. 6 entry lists Bensley as a collaborator with Charlotte Teller Johnson on a play not performed. A N.Y. Times article of Apr. 16, p.1, identifies Martha Bensley as “connected with a syndicate which supplies Russian stories for magazines.” She was questioned in the article about the wherabouts of Maxim Gorky, who had been turned out of the third hotel after the scandal involving his live-in mistress broke.
Sam also wrote to Charlotte Teller Johnson but did not send it; Instead he sent the draft to Isabel V. Lyon, writing: “I did not send this, Miss Lyon, but spewing it out relieved me.” The note he wrote to her:
That Mr. Mansfield should decline your play—or anybody’s play—is matter of business, & cannot astonish me; but that he should do it without the courtesy of a word, is a thing which does surprise me.
For many months I have had the conviction that God Almighty has got loose & is down here somewhere in disguise. Can this be He, do you think? / Sincerely Yours / SL. Clemens [MTP].
Sam also replied to the June 8 from Barbara Mullen in Moberly, Mo. “Don’t you mind that. There is good in it, & no harm. It cheers many a dry traveller with the pleasant thought that there’s at least somebody that’s full” [MTP]. Note: Mullen was a teacher at Hannibal High School.
Isabel Lyon’s journal:
Bad headache today.
Edith.
Tonight Mr. Clemens read the most readable part of the second part of “Capt. Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven”. It is delightful & he plans to “throw it all right into the autobiography”. Such a wealth of imagination. He read me an unpublishable bit from the same ms. this morning.
[written diagonally across lower portion of page:]
Eve’s Diary has come and it is charming with Lester Ralph’s illustrations. How I watched that book grow a year ago [MTP TS 83].
Sam’s A.D. of this day titled only by date dealt with Bret Harte’s character and his desire to imitate Charles Dickens; the piece was selected for MTE [263-8]. Note: Entirely about Bret Harte—his appearance, dress, writings, etc. [MTP: Autodict2].
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