July 9 Tuesday – Ashcroft’s notes: “Lunched at the House [of Commons] with Sir Benjamin Stone. Many guests, chief among them Mr. Balfour, and Komura, the Japanese Ambassador, were the other guests of honor. Punch dinner in the evening. Joy Agnew and the cartoon” [MTB 1399; MTFWE 108 combined]. Note: the cartoon (by Bernard Partridge) referred to may be seen in June 25 entry. It is not the inserted one below by W.A. Rogers.
Punch gave Sam a dinner at their offices on Bouverie Street. The London Daily Express observed “the dinner was of a strictly private character” [July 10, p.5]. Note: The London Times listed those in attendance [MTFWE 106].
Paine writes of the Punch dinner as a unique honor:
Probably the most valued of his London honors was the dinner given to him by the staff of Punch. Punch had already saluted him with a front-page cartoon by Bernard Partridge….
Mr. Agnew, chief editor; Linley Sambourne, Francis Burnand, Henry Lucy, and others of the staff welcomed him at the Punch offices at 10 Bouverie Street, in the historic Punch dining- room where Thackeray had sat, and Douglas Jerrold, and so many of the great departed. Mark Twain was the first foreign visitor to be so honored—in fifty years the first stranger to sit at the sacred board—a mighty distinction. In the course of the dinner they gave him a pretty surprise, when little Joy Agnew presented him with the original drawing of Partridge’s cartoon.
Nothing could have appealed to him more, and the Punch dinner, with its associations and that dainty presentation, remained apart in his memory from all other feastings [MTB 1400-01].
In his A.D. of Aug. 30, 1907 Clemens called the Punch dinner “the prettiest incident of my long life, I think, and I cannot think of it yet without a thrill at my heart and quickened pulse- beat. The little sprite was Joy Agnew, eight years of age, daughter of the editor in chief” [MTFWE 110].
At Brown’s Hotel in London Sam inscribed on his photograph with Frances Nunnally: “To Francesca from S.L.C. / The title of this poem is / Sweetness & Light / London / July 9, 1907” [MTP].
Merton Russell Cotes wrote from Bournemouth to invite Sam to visit [MTP].
Louis Felberman for the Hungarian Society wrote from London to Ashcroft asking for “a few minutes visit” with Twain [MTP].
Harry Harper for London Daily Mail wrote from London to Ashcroft, asking if Sam had an alibi for the stolen Dublin jewels [MTP].
Charles A. Hazlett wrote from Portsmouth, N.H. advising Sam’s election for establishing the Thomas Bailey Aldrich Memorial, Wallace Hackett, President; 28 names listed [MTP].
Adolf Herz wrote a postcard in German from Vienna to Sam [MTP].
Janet E. Reeve wrote from Hazlemere Upper School, London to ask Sam for “a short article or tale” for the school magazine [MTP].
An unidentified person wrote from “Seven Oaks” England to Sam: “Dear Doctor: / Please return Cup and jewels: no questions asked” [MTP].
W. Holt White for London Daily Express wrote to Ashcroft, thanking Sam for a photograph[MTP].
Isabel Lyon’s journal (Boston): Headache. Boston late last night and I ill with a terror of a headache. It came boiling along and by 11 when we were finally settled in the Parker house, the pains in my head had robbed me of my sense of being human. All day in bed. Will roused me at 7:30. He having arrived by a night train. He brought letters and clippings from Ashcroft, but I was too ill to read anything [MTP 82]. Note: “Will” was Charles E. Wark, Clara’s accompanist.