March 17, 1906 Saturday

scott 25 August 2022

March 17 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon replied for Sam to an unidentified person:

“Mr. Clemens not very well wishes me to thank you very much for your letter which greatly interested him—& that far from objecting to his translating the article into French it is a compliment which I accept with pleasure & hold at a high value—” [MTP].

Isabel Lyon’s journal:

March 16, 1906 Friday

scott 25 August 2022

March 16 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam began a siege with a bad cold which would keep him in bed until Mar. 23. He wrote to Gertrude Natkin:

To whom these presents shall come—greetings & salutation. And thereto—this: It’s postponed to April 10 , you little rascal. Unknown Friend” [MTAq 20].

Gertrude Natkin wrote a short reply:

March 15, 1906 Thursday

scott 25 August 2022

March 15 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote an aphorism to Florence Watson- Cadieu, secretary of the Whidden Memorial Hospital Guild, Everett, Mass. “On the whole it is better to deserve honors and not have them, than have them & not deserve them. / Truly Yours / Mark Twain” [MTP].

Sam hosted a dinner for the Rogerses and Dr. Edward Quintard [Hill 124].

March 13, 1906 Tuesday

scott 25 August 2022
March 13 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to Gertrude Natkin. In full:

To whom these presents shall come—greeting:

One unto you unknown— & yet a Friend—instructs me to beg you to hold free of engagements the evening of April fifth. This, from Another Unknown Friend [MTAq 20].

Isabel Lyon’s journal:

Jean, at 8 this morning. Santa C. came back from Atlantic City.

March 12, 1906 Monday

scott 25 August 2022
March 12 Monday – George Henschel wrote fom the Institute of Musical Art, 53 Fifth Ave. to Sam:

On case your daughter Clara can’t accompany you to my little Bohemian (or rather Bavarian) dinner on Tuesday the 20 at the Aufbrauhaus, won’t you give me the pleasure of your company even if you have to come alone?…We shall be twelve all round—all round a round table—in a very cosy Room, drinking the most delicious Munich beer imaginable. Pray come and make us all young and happy [MTP]. Note: Sam’s reply, instructing Miss Lyon to telegraph “yes” is dated ca. Mar. 14.

March 11, 1906 Sunday

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March 11 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:

This morning I went in with some more left over mail. A letter from John D. Rockefeller S.S. [Sunday School] chairman or something, asking Mr. Clemens to address that class. He chuckled and said “I daren’t be with them, but I’d like it mighty well,” for he’d talk about Joseph of course. We had such a talk about the human race.

March 10, 1906 Saturday

scott 25 August 2022

March 10 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote a postcard to Edwina L. Levy. “Oh, dear me, Miss Levy! I’ve ‘lifted’ this English girl’s post-card without noticing what I was doing. But I’ll send her a more recent photograph to make up for it” [MTP].

March 9, 1906 Friday

scott 25 August 2022
March 9 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam added to his Mar. 4 and Mar. 8 to Gertrude Natkin, who had telephoned him, perhaps before he completed the letter [Natkin Mar. 10]. Friday.

I knew I could do it, dear. By going without rest or food for a day & a night I have compressed the proper work of months into a single cataclysmal explosion. And so as you see, it is finished:

Rich, though he have not a grain of gold
Save that which is in his mouth,
Rich, though his silver be all on his head
And crusts for his craw be all his bread
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