May 23 Thursday – In Tuxedo Park, N.Y. Sam sent two telegrams to George Thomson Wilson, Secretary of the Pilgrim Club, N.Y. branch that he would be glad to be the guest of the London Pilgrims for lunch any date between June 18 and June 28; his second note asked Wilson to cable the London Pilgrims to pin the luncheon date to either June 21 or 22, and cable Sam their acceptance [MTP].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: Nothing but shopping & buzzing & flying around doing or un-doing things. Santa and I started for Redding today, but it began to rain before we reached Branchville and so she took train right straight back again. I went on with Mr. Coe and Mr. Turner, for J. Howells had missed his train and we found the place lovelier than ever, for the apple trees were in bloom and it was a day full of beautiful atmosphere. We ate a Brevoort luncheon, up on the hilltop, and then when J.H. did arrive at 2 o’clock we dug each a tiny shovel of earth on the appointed spot. I and J.H. and Mr. Coe and AB and Mr. Sunderland and Mr. Turner, and then they poured in some whiskey, I wonder why? While we were waiting for J.H. to arrive we wandered around over the place and found some exquisite building sites and quite out of the range of the King’s house [MTP TS 58-59]. Note: Lounsbury was not included in her entry, but Coe and Sunderland were; compare to below.
John Mead Howells, Isabel Lyon, Albert Bigelow Paine, and Harry A. Lounsbury, contractor and Redding neighbor, held an informal ground-breaking ceremony for the Redding house that would become Stormfield. Hill writes they poured whiskey into the first shovel hole. Sam did not attend, and may have objected to such a use for a good drink; Mac Donnell calls it “prophetic” [Hill 172; Mac Donnell 4].
J.W. Kelley, President of the Denver Colo. Press Club wrote “a gushing request” for Sam’s autograph. Allowing four days for postal service, Sam’s reply is given here as ca. May 27 [MTP].
George Grantham Bain wrote from NYC to Sam that they had a request from the Strand Magazine “for photographs of yourself in your home, with your family, with your amanuensis, the exterior of your house or any photographs connected with your home life.” Would he allow their photographer to take such pictures? [MTP].
George Thomson Wilson for Pilgrims of NY wrote to Sam having rec’d his “good telegram of to-day in response to my letter of yesterday, and of cabling to…Brattain of the London Pilgrims that you will accept their invitation to be their guest at luncheon on any day between June 18th and 28th” [MTP].
Thomas Wardle wrote from England to Sam, having heard of his upcoming visit, and expressing “that it will give me and my daughter the greatest pleasure to have you again at Swainsley…” [MTP].
Sixteen-year-old Floyd Wiedermann, and “very interested” in Mark Twain books, wrote from Harvey, Ill., hoping for a reply [MTP].
Clemens A.D. for this day is listed by MTP.