November 27 Monday – Sam was in Washington, D.C. and was a guest of President Theodore Roosevelt. Later in the day he returned to New York. The New York Times reported the event on page 1.
Mark Twain the President’s Guest
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27.—Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) was a guest of President and Mrs. Roosevelt at luncheon to-day. Invited to meet Mr. Clemens were Secretary Bonaparte, Attorney General Moody, and John Temple Graves. The call of Mr. Clemens upon the President was purely social.
November 26 Sunday – In Washington, D.C. Sam wrote to Brian Ború Dunne (1878-1962), journalist for the Washington Times: “I lack time for an interview, but if we can compromise on a Thanksgiving Sentiment, take your pencil & I will dictate it. Thus:” [MTP]. Note: Sam followed this note, crammed at the top of the page, with what is a self-interview that ran in the front page of the Nov. 27 issue of the Washington D.C. Times. Sam wrote the following on a small sheet, cut from the above paragraph. “A few days ago one of the interviewers [Dunne] offered to let me do a Thanksgiving Sentiment.
November 25 Saturday – The Hartford Courant ran an interview, “Mark Twain at 70” p.16.
Scharnhorst (p. 511-16 & n.1) explains it was attributed to Samuel E. Moffett but actually written by Clemens.
Louise Forsslund wrote Sam from Sayville, L.I., N.Y. to confirm a story her father told of traveling with a young man named Clemens in 1849 in Sacramento [MTP]. Note: Sam’s reply ca. Nov. 28.
The New York Times, p. BR812 ran a squib on the coming birthday celebration, “Mark Twain’s Banquet.”
November 24 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y., Sam spoke into a graphophone, dictating a letter that Isabel Lyon later wrote to Dr. Osgood:
Dear Dr. Osgood:
Your letter gives me very great pleasure. I believe there is no greater pleasure than that which one gets out of a compliment heartily expressed. Your warm words have gone to my heart and I am grateful for them.
November 23 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Miss Lawton to interview Mr. Charles Frohman at 10:30. / Mr. Clemens will go with Mr. Thuthong / Mr. Clemens will dine with Dr. Quintard, perhaps” [MTP TS 35].
Thomas S. Barbour for Congo Reform Assoc., Boston wrote to Sam on their new letterhead, which listed Samuel L. Clemens as a vice president. Barbour sought Sam’s approval to leave a footnote in place in the “King Leopold” pamphlet. He hoped Sam had had a good talk with Dr. Haley during Sam’s Boston stay; Barbour was sorry he could not see Sam then [MTP].
November 22 ca. – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam responded to C.F. Bertholf’s Nov. 16 question: Stories he refers to is in one of the volumes of sketches published by the Harpers” [MTP]. Note: The MTP catalogs this as “on or after 16 November.” Six days estimated postal time is allowed here.
November 22 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Ray. 3.15” [MTP TS 32].
George Dewey wrote to Sam, advising receipt of “your recent letter, I have to state that I resigned several months ago from the Advisory Directorate of the Oppenheimer Institute, but that while I was a director I had no personal knowledge of the workings of the cure” [MTP].
Max Lowenthal wrote a postcard from Vienna, Austria to send birthday wishes [MTP].
November 21 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam replied to Asa Don Dickinson, who wrote Nov. 19.
November 20 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam replied to J.H. Todd of San Francisco, who wrote on Nov. 6. Sam’s letter designated as “not sent”: Your letter is an insoluble puzzle to me. The handwriting is good & exhibits considerable character, & there are even traces of intelligence in what you say, yet the letter & the accompanying advertisements profess to be the work of the same hand.
November 19 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Times Reporter. 10—” [MTP TS 34].
Marjorie V.d.W. Brooke wrote to Sam, evidently enclosing a photo of her grandfather, who many said looked like Mark Twain—didn’t Sam think him a handsome man? [MTP].
Asa Don Dickinson wrote to Sam.
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