Summer 1906

scott 31 August 2022
Summer 1906 – Sometime during his 1906 stay in Dublin (May 18 to Oct. 18, excluding a few trips), Sam met Ethel Barrymore, who was spending the summer at the artists’ colony in Cornish, N.H., where she posed for several paintings. The colony, active between 1895 and 1925, was spread out over Windsor, Vt., Plainfield, and Cornish. During its time nearly 100 artists, sculpors, writers, designers, and well-known politicians chose to live there, either for the full year or during summertimes. Barrymore would become a famous actress.

May 28, 1906 Monday

scott 31 August 2022
May 28 Monday – Clemens’ A.D. for the day: Clemens calls on General Ulysses Grant just as he is about to sign contract with Century Co. for publication of his Memoirs on 10% royalty.

Clemens dissuades him, and finally decides to publish them himself. Terms upon which they were published [MTP Autodict2].

Frank N. Doubleday for Doubleday, Page & Co. wrote to Sam.

May 26, 1906 Saturday

scott 31 August 2022
May 26 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:

This afternoon when Mr. Clemens picked up the Times & noticed the date, he said, “This is one of my anniversaries—48 years ago I said goodbye to my little sweetheart”. He told me then how he had said that he wouldn’t see her for years—2 or 3—& she had given him a little gold ring & then he went away. Laura Wright was her name & she was very young. In all these 48 years he had never seen her. There weren’t many romances in his life. There were 2 early ones, Laura Wright and Laura Hawkins [MTP TS 73-74].

May 25, 1906 Friday

scott 31 August 2022

May 25 Friday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to Frank N. Doubleday.

Y.M. This is too much! I think it is not right to jest about such things.

O.M. I am not jesting, I am merely reflecting a plain & simple truth—& without uncharitableness. The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to the other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot. It is my belief that this position is not assailable.

May 24, 1906 Thursday

scott 31 August 2022
May 24 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:

The Gospel proof [“What is Man?”] comes along in batches from Mr. Doubleday & it is so beautifully printed to begin with & so absorbingly interesting that once you begin a galley you can’t stop until you’ve read all the batch. And Mr. Clemens does like it so much! It is his pet book and absolutely true. That & the Rubiyat ought to stand together [MTP TS 73].  

In N.Y.C. William Dean Howells wrote to Sam.

May 23, 1906 Wednesday

scott 31 August 2022
May 23 Wednesday – In Dublin, N.H. Isabel Lyon wrote for Sam to Frank N. Doubleday.

The Gospel is going to be a fine book. Keep the 250 copies safe & secure. Your share of the swag is 20% whenever we sell a copy—which will not happen for a good while yet; nor until the edition is rare & people are illing to pay $300. a copy for it. That is the price, or we hold on & wait ten years—you & my daughters. … [MTP].  
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