April 13 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: My hands are full and my outlet for superfluous emotions just now is my Boyagians and their “something junk”. They have thrown at me such delightful things. A marvel of a huge strange old candlestick for 50¢. Mother and I have sat around it and wondered what it’s history must be.

Mr. and Mrs. Twichell arrived and I’m so tired—so tired. They are nice and dear, but killingly hard to entertain, for Mr. Twichell’s deafness is increasing [MTP TS 52].

April 12 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Here I am missing the sweetest of all sweet chroniclings—the daily life of the King. But I have been so busy, for there is this house to look after, and the Tuxedo house to think of and plan for, and the Redding house to be after too, and Santa to love and be with when she was here and do for, and Jean to be anxious over and to help if I can and her doctors to see, and the King’s social life to look after—for in these days he is very lonely and reaches out for people—and people he must have, so now I’m planning parties for him.

April 11 Thursday – William Dean Howells forwarded to Sam a letter he’d rec’d from Brand Whitlock, dated Apr. 8 from Toledo, Ohio, in which he remarked on how Sam’s Autobiographicals in the N.A.R. reminded him of the “delightful afternoon” spent with him at Sewall’s Bridge. See MTHL 2: 825 for details; see also Aug. 9, 1902. Whitlock was a devoted young friend of Howells. 

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Mr. and Mrs. Stanchfield dined here” [MTP TS 51].

April 10 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Ambassaodor Charlemagne Tower:

Dear Excellenz: / This is the young gentleman I spoke to you about night before last—Mr. Robert Haven Schauffler. He will explain to you his “Century”-mission to the Vaterland—a matter which promises to be of interest & value to both Germany & America.

April 9 Tuesday – Minnie Maddern Fiske wrote from NYC to Sam.

April 8 Monday – Sam attended the Manhattan Club for a dinner honoring Charlemagne Tower, now Ambassador to Germany. The banquet was organized by Herman Ridder of the Staats-Zeitung. Several speeches were given, including one by Tower. The New York Times, Apr. 9, p.2, “Tariff Peace Near With The Kaiser” listed Samuel L. Clemens among the guests. On Apr. 10 Sam wrote a note, now judged to be to Tower, concerning a special correspondent for the Century, Robert Haven Schauffler, who was going to Germany.

April 7 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Gabrilowitsch was here this evening and played for a long time—played that great Schubert Sonata.

Mr. Clemens and I went over to see Miss Harrison in Bklyn. She sent her mobile over for us and the trip was a long and dreary one; for we had to be stopped short at every corner by children who tried to get under the wheels. But Miss H’s home is very nice and her mother is sweet.

April 6 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam inscribed an aphorism in a copy of JA to Helen Fulton: “To / Miss Helen Fulton / with the respectful salutations / of the Author. On the whole it is better to deserve honors & not have them, than to have them & not deserve them. / Truly Yours / Mark Twain/ New York, April 6/07.” [MTP].

Sam also inscribed a copy of CS to Mary Thacher Higginson: “To / Mrs. Thomas Wentworth Higginson / with the warm regards of / The Autho / April 6/07.” [MTP].

April 5 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to Carl Kelsey’s Apr. 1.

My membership would be purely ornamental & therefore valueless. Have retired from the activities of life. I did not retire until I had been in the harness 40 years & concluded that I had done my share—that I have not retired in reality but I have all the work on my hands that I can attend to & that I mustn’t add any thing to it [MTP]. Note: Kelsey with Am. Academy of Political and Social Sciences.

April 4 Thursday – Sam left Elmira and returned to N.Y.C. this evening. Isabel Lyon’s journal: “The King came home from Elmira tonight very tired and depressed, I think” [MTP TS 48].

Edith Elsie Baker for the Actors’ Fund of America wrote to Sam, asking for “a donation of a hundred or more copies of some short but effective speech, joke or epigram from Puddenhead Wilson or Huckleberry Finn printed on a card or parchment about 6 by 8 inches”—these from his publisher; they to sell them for 25 cents [MTP].