November 8 Wednesday – In London, England Sam wrote to Dr. Sullivan, declining “an almost unresistable temptation” to appear at a club function, for he was a “bond slave to Fitzgerald’s Omar”. He didn’t want his name to appear in the papers while he was “doing the hermit act.” He thanked Mr. Walker for the invitation and Sullivan for conveying it. He also mentioned Livy, his family, and Dr. Jonas Henrick Kellgren:

Mrs. Clemens is in pretty good health—so good, in fact, that she doesn’t go to Kellgren, whereas we other three have to continue.

I find that America has borrowed or stolen Kellgren’s system & is booming it, & legalized it in 8 States! [MTP]. Note: the Club was not given. Edward Fitzgerald (1809-1883) translated a rather unique version of Omar Khayyam, which was published in 1899.

Sam also wrote to an unidentified man, explaining that he would see him but he didn’t want it known that he was in England because he was “hard at work.” The best time would be around 4 p.m., “But if you don’t show this note to Chatto [who kept Sam’s address] he will tell you I am dead, & it may not be true” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to John Brisben Walker: “At this rate I may set up for an educator before long—& then people will have to respect me. All things come to him who waits” [MTP: Anderson Auction Co. catalogs, 15 May 1908, Item 53].

Sam also wrote to Simon Wolf, asking a clarification of statistics involving numbers of Jewish soldiers in the U.S. Civil War.

The Jews seem to have sent something more than 5 percent of their population to the war. Did the rest of the country send 5 percent of its population, or was it more? That is what I am trying to get at.

In the spring I shall be publishing a volume of short things, & am meditating a postscript [Jerome and Wisbey 183]. Note: Sam’s article “Concerning the Jews” first included a postscript when collected in the English version of The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg (1900)