August 25 Tuesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to H.J. Learoyd, Managing Editor of the N.Y. Evening Post, heading the note “Private.”

August 24 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:  Zoe and Margery left today. The King seems to improve with every day. Paine who came up for billiards remarked that the King doesn’t play as good a game as he did. But that is clearly understandable, for the King has been teaching the game to young strong men, who now are playing as well as he does, and better, for many of them have had instruction from experts in “draw shots” and “English” etc. and have no more wit than to come here and to tell the King how to make his shots.

August 23 Sunday – Zoheth S. Freeman was visiting Sam in Redding [new guestbook].

August 22 Saturday – Sam’s new guestbook:  

Name Address Date Remarks

Z. S. Freeman New York City       “ [August] 22-24 [Zoheth S. Freeman]

      Note: not in the original guestbook.

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “I went to N.Y. on the 8:15. Back on the 1:27 and Zoe Freeman came too. It was torrenting when I went to the station, and the flood gates [sentence unfinished] [MTP: IVL TS 61].

August 21 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “The day was a placid one. We played Hearts, and then more Hearts” [MTP: IVL TS 61].

Charles W. Birge wrote from the Fitch Home for Soldiers in Noroton Heights, Conn. to ask Sam if he’d be some help to him in securing a cheap pair of spectacles to help him read; he could get a pair for $2 in Stamford. At age 72, Birge had a shaky hand [MTP]. Note: IVL: “No ans.”

Joe Goodman wrote from Alameda, Calif. about locating old letters from Clemens.

August 20 Thursday – In Redding, Conn., Isabel Lyon wrote for Sam to Katharine B. Clemens.

“Mr. Clemens asks me to thank you for the photograph which he is very glad to have, & also for your note containing the very pleasant news that you will probably be able to spend a Sunday here.

“Mr. Clemens is better, & asks me to convey his love to you” [MTP].

Sam’s new guestbook:

Name Address Date Remarks

Jervis Langdon Elmira, N.Y. August 20 (My nephew).

August 19 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:  “Mr. Lounsbury is ill, a fistula caused by a strain in moving Santa’s piano. AB and his nice old father came up for billiards. I entertained his nice old father and gave him tea on the loggia. He called the dear little cedar trees ‘volunteers’” [MTP: IVL TS 60]. Note: Paine’s father is shown as Samuel E. Paine in the Aug. 24 original guestbook entry.

August 18 Tuesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote an aphorism to Margery H. Clinton.

It is a poor old maxim, & nothing in it: anybody can do it, you don’t have to employ a dog.

“Let a sleeping dog lie.”

Truly yours / Mark Twain

To Miss Margery Clinton

(August 18, 1908, at Redding, Conn. ) [MTP].

August 17 Monday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Mary B. Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers, Jr.).

August 16 Sunday – Sam wrote a tribute to his late nephew, “Samuel Erasmus Moffett” and quoted from an obituary in Collier’s Weekly [Gribben 154]. Note: Moffett died on Aug. 1, 1908.

Isabel Lyon’s journal:  “Stanchfields left, creeping down the long hill through the field” [MTP: IVL TS 59].

Clemens A.D. for this day is listed by MTP.