July 5 Friday – Ashcroft’s notes: “Dined with Lord and Lady Portsmouth. Forty or fifty guests; two or three hundred came in afterward” [MTB 1399; MTFWE 108]. Note: Earl and Countess of Portsmouth (Newton and Beatrice Wallop). London’s Daily Telegraph, July 6, p.12, “LONDON DAY BY DAY” reported the event plus what the Countess had called a “small party” when inviting Sam.
The Earl and Countess of Portsmouth entertained to dinner last evening at 16 Mansfield street, Dr. Clemens (Mark Twain), the Earl and Countess of Wemyss, Earl and Countess Brownlow; Isabella Countess Howe, Lord and Lady William Cecil, Lady Reay, Lord and Lady Cheylesmore, Lord and Lady Eversley, Lady Rosamond Christie, the Right Hon. Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, the Hon. Theo. Russell, Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace, Sir Oliver and Lady Lodge, Mr. and the Hon. Mrs. Lane Fox, Mr. Runciman, M.P., Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey Baring, and Mr. and Mrs. Spender. Afterwards Lady Portsmouth held a reception, which was attended by 300 guests.
At Brown’s Hotel in London Sam wrote a short note to Ralph W. Ashcroft.
Ashcroft, the puzzle is beyond me. The two ds in the above words, also the two ds & the L on the envelop, were written by Charlie. I wonder why she suppresses her name & address. Send this to her: for it is of course just barely possible that my divination is in error. In which case I am ashamed, & I beg her pardon [MTP]. Note: Ashcroft in turn added to Sam’s above note, “You didn’t know he was a handwriting expert, did you?” sent and sent it to Carlotta Welles (“Charlie”) [MTP; MTAq 41].
The White Star liner Baltic docked in New York with H.H. Rogers and wife, returning from England [NY Times, July 6, p. 2, “H.H. Rogers Home and Says He’s Glad”].
William Lyon Phelps’ article, “Mark Twain,” ran in the North American Review, p. 540-8.
Tenney: “Discusses the growth of MT’s standing and declares him now ‘our foremost living American writer,’ not only for his humor, but for his literary art in the creation of characters and in his dramatic power’” [44].
Isabel Lyon’s journal (Halifax): Mr. Dennis drove us over to the Sangainy Club, [sic Saraguay Club] on the other side of the N.W. arm of the bay. It is very pretty. A Miss Foster went with us. It is pretty there, but the drive was too long. I am pining to go home.
This morning I secured the 4-poster and it is to go home on the Rosalind [MTP 81].
George B. Birdsall wrote from Manchester, England to Sam, noting he had the same surname as a character in IA. He sent compliments of various Twain works [MTP].
Ruth Gordon Bower , a “fortunate little girl” wrote from London to Sam, excited about meeting him the previous night, likely at the Hotel Cecil [MTP].
Annie Brisco-Garcia wrote from Manchester to ask Sam to buy through her the “Collected Edition” of Swinburn’s works [MTP].
Saul North wrote from Leeds to Sam, including a poem about young George Washington, called “Hanky Doodle” [MTP].
D.J. Rider wrote from London to Sam, sending a copy of a parchment purported to contain Sam’s signature—was it authentic? [MTP].
Florence A. Stoker (Mrs. Bram Stoker) (1858-1937) wrote from Chelsea to Sam, havingmissed his call. Would Ashcroft phone to arrange another meeting? [MTP].
Walter Sylvester wrote from Bayswater, Westminster to ask Sam on behalf of Miss Mora for permission to dramatize JA [MTP].
T. Fisher Unwin wrote from London to Sam advising that he was sending another book by Mrs. Craigie, which he was preparing to publish. Knowing that he was overwhelmed with visitors, Unwin wished, “good-bye, a happy and safe voyage, and au revoir” [MTP]. Note: Pearl Mary Teresa Richards Craigie, pseud. John Oliver Hobbes (1867-1906). Unwin published her book, The Serious Wooing: a Heart’s History in 1907. Chapters from “My Autobiography—XX” ran in the N.A.R. p.465-74.