June 15 Thursday – For a little joke, Sam sent his daughter Clara at least four picture -postcards (that many survive) of the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and The Guildhall. He wrote the following “lessons” on them respectively, with fanciful signatures:
No, Oom Paul has never been the head of the Irish party. You are mistaking him for the late Mr. Parnell / Faithfully Yours / H. Campbell-Bannerman.
No—strawberries do not grow at the Pole, nor anywhere near it. See my book. / Truly Yours / Nansen.
No-No—Africa is not in the Sandwich Islands. I could not have said such a thing. Examine the map. / Sincerely Yours / Henry M. Stanley.
It is clearly an error. It was not Elizabeth who flourished in Shakespeare’s time, it was Shakespeare who flourished in Elizabeth’s time. / Very Truly Yours / Wm. H. Lecky [MTP]. Note: these may have been in response to some faux paus Clara committed.
Sam’s notebook: “Thursday 15. Stoker 1.45 pm? Gillette, 6.15 Savoy” [NB 40 TS 56].
Note: See Livy’s June 17 note of thanks for this Thursday get together at Bram Stoker’s.
In the 1906 Personal Reminiscences of Henry Irving by Bram Stoker there was a reference to this dinner which included Sam and family, p. 166, 324. Tenney: “MT was a guest at a supper with Sarah Bernhardt one night in 1899 when she was playing Hamlet at the Adelphi; F.P. [Finley Peter] Dunne was also present. Among those listed as having dined with Irving are ‘S.L. Clemens (“Mark Twain”)’ and ‘Mrs. and Misses S.L. Clemens’”
Note: Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) performed Hamlet sixteen times (June 12 to 24), a very short run, at the Adelphi Theatre. London critics were prejudiced against a female Hamlet, though Parisians had been enthusiastic [Shudofsky 293].