May – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam inscribed a copy of LM to an unidentified person: “Mark Twain /.  I published this book at my own expense, as an experiment in economy. It cost me fifty-six thousand dollars before the first copy issued from the press. / SLC / May, 1908.”

Sam discussed The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine (1737-1809) with Albert Bigelow Paine, who quotes Twain:

“…that seems a mild book now. I read it first when I was a cub pilot, read it with fear and hesitation, but marveling at its fearlessness and wonderful power. I read it again a year or two ago, for some reason, and was amazed to see how tame it had become. It seemed that Paine was apologizing everywhere for hurting the feelings of the reader” [MTB 1445].

Bookman (NY) ran an anonymous article, “Travelling with Mark Twain,” p. 227-8. Tenney:

“Describes the hold of MT and Kipling on all who speak English; for example, when MT boarded the Bermudian a stevedore asked, ‘Where’s his white suit?” On the ship, a traveler introduced himself because he thought it was ‘the duty—and the privilege—of every American —to shake hands—with Mark Twain’” [Tenney, ALR Third Annual Supplement to the Reference Guide (Autumn, 1979) 192].

The Circle published an anonymous article, “At Home with Famous Authors: A Glimpse into the work-shop where seven great writers do their thinking and writing.” Tenney: “Includes a photograph of W.D. Howells at his desk, and one of MT in bed’” [Tenney, ALR Second Annual Supplement to the Reference Guide (Autumn, 1980) 175].