April 24 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Mr. Clemens went to see Mr. John Howells & Mr. Larkin about the furnace. Telephoned Mr. Renwick, making an appointment with him for Friday morning so that he can talk the matter over with Katie” [MTP TS 15].

Helena Gilder (Mrs. Richard Watson Gilder) wrote to Sam. “Mrs. Dunham asked me whether she might send you the invitation that goes with this. I said yes, indeed & that it would be a great pleasure to James if you would present at his lecture” [MTP].

April 23 Sunday – Easter – Midnight at 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to Joe Twichell.

Dear Joe— / I have just finished reading the history of Joe Hawley—a noble man, truly. I see that he was not the man to allow votes to be bought for him, & I do not believe he ever knew it. I thank you for sending me that paper.

I suppose the “Henry E. Burton” is the one who married Alice Day’s sister. I did not know he was dead [MTP].

Isabel Lyon’s journal:

April 22 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: The darling days go flying by and do no proper chronicling. Mr. Howells is down stairs—he dined here tonight and I had the pleasure of sitting opposite him and of hearing him and Mr. Clemens talk. How fine the appreciation of those two men—the one for the other—and the best of it is that they lay their homage at each others’ feet —a noble gift—and are the more lovely for the giving. They look into each others eyes and their speech is, “Oh noble you”—and it is enough.

Miss Nesmith sailed today in the Vaderland.

April 21 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

Dear H. H. / I was going to wait, that day, but the sky, up the river, began to loom so black that I rushed away to escape the storm. It wasn’t much of a success. I got 40% of it.

April 20 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Mr. John Howells sent result of the estimates the furnace men made—$2000.00 for the lowest price. / Sent check to Miss Watson for Miss Harrison for $43,125.00 to pay for 1000 shares Utah” [MTP TS 14-15].

Jean Clemens wrote to the Editor of Harper’s Weekly; her letter was published on May 6, 1905 as “The Passing of the Egret,” available online via Google Books.

April 19 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Dinner with Mr. & Mrs. Loomis / Col Harvey took the Palmistry Article—[MTP TS 14]. Note: see Twain’s “Palm Readings” (1905) and the A.D. of Jan. 29, 1907. Playboy Magazine, Dec. 2010 issue gives a peek at Vol. 2 of Autobiography of Mark Twain, to be released in 2012 by the MTP. In this excerpt Twain responds to fortune tellers who were asked to read his handprints without knowing his identity.

William Dean Howells in NYC wrote a sentence to Sam: “At least 3 of us will come to dinner Sunday at 7. (or 7.30?)” [MTHL 2: 798].

April 18 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Santissima [Clara] is allowed to see her letters— I’ve sent them up to her” [MTP: TS 51]. Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Mr. Clemens lunched with Col. Harvey, and Mr. Howells, and others too. (4 ladies) / Miss Pears came up from Washington to dine with Mr. Clemens” [MTP TS 14].

April 17 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Tonight Col. Harvey dined here. To look at Col. Harvey you’d never think that he was a man with a literary appreciation or that he could talk—but he can and he gave us a very nice dinner party. Then Jean and I left Mr. Clemens and him while we came up to our rooms [MTP: TS 51].

Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: Treatment. Paid. [Swedish Count C. Lewenhaupt gave Sam osteopathic treatments.]

Mr. Clemens went to the Italian Consul to sign a paper enabling Ingegnere Zannoni to act as his representative in the Villa di Quarto case.

April 16 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Miss Mary Foote lunched here” [MTP: TS 51]. Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Sent word to Postman in Dublin N.H. to keep mail for Mr.Clemens. / Mr. Clemens read 40 pages of the Admiral Story MS. this evening—”[MTP TS 14].

April 15 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:

Mother and I saw Lilian Griffin for a moment in at Cecchina’s at 6:30. Walter has lost his position as instructor at the Art School in Hartford. Mother and I couldn’t get seats at Cecchina’s so we went around to the “Griffoni” and had such a bad dinner. Then we went up to Proctor’s show house to see Henry Lee impersonate Mark Twain. Very bad it was [MTP: TS 51]. See insert for Henry Lee