October 30 Tuesday – In N.Y.C. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Ralph W. Ashcroft, in care of the advertising agent for Canadian Pacific railway, Montreal: “Mr. Clemens is indefinitely bedridden with bronchitis & has been persuaded to give up the trip to Egypt entirely” [MTP].
Note: see Nov. 7 to Mary Rogers.
Clemens’ A.D. of this day included: Clemens plays practical joke on Jim Wolfe—wasps in his bed—From Susy’s Biography—tributes to Clemens on his 50th birthday from Oliver Wendell Holmes to James Russell Lowell & Major-Gen. Franklin—Mr. Clemens not affected by it [MTP Autodict2].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: The King’s billiard table has been put into place today, but the King has cold & so was unable to make any use of it. Today he saw Mr. Ashcroft, who will go to Egypt as stenographer (he telephoned the word) and the King saw Dorothy Butes, a sweet little English girl, & he saw Leigh Hunt too, who has told him that he must “rough it” on the Nile.
Mr. Henschel was here for dinner and D. Gilder. Mr. H. told us how an operetta of Mr. Howells’ & his, written many—25—years ago, is to be brought out within the year in London. He told some delightful stories of himself & others. The King went upstairs early & took a surreptitious rap at the billiard balls, but has he said he was going to bed—he had to do it, or be heard [MTP TS 141-142]. Note: George Henschel, conductor.
Reo Bennett wrote on Astor Theatre, NYC letterhead to ask Sam where he might “get some material on the Play-copyright subject that you were identified with a few years ago.” Bennett was trying to calculate what the royalties would be for all the heirs of Shakespeare, and thought that the fortunes of Rockefeller and Carnegie “would hardly be an afternoon’s spending money for Shakespear’s great, great Grand-child” [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote on the letter, “George Haven Putnam of Copyright League.”
George C. Rohrs for the YMCA, NYC wrote to Sam. They were “getting up a minstrel show” and wondered if Sam would let him “know of some joke or comic thing to do suitable for a darky bride” [MTP].
Charles M. Skinner of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle wrote to Sam, enclosing a manuscript about “Alfred” whom he labeled “another Col. Sellers.” He wrote that he simply sent it for Sam’s interest, not for revenge, criticism or any other reason [MTP].