Day By Day Dates

July 8 Thursday — Mrs. Henderson wrote from Ayrshire, Scotland to ask for Sam’s autograph [MTP].

July 9 Friday — Sam’s new guestbook:

July 10 Saturday — Joe and Harmony Twichell finished a two-day stay at Stormfield.

July 11 Sunday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote a Stormfield picture postcard to Dorothy Quick.

July 12 Monday — Anne-Netta Brownlee wrote from Youngstown, Ohio, a lengthy letter of admiration in which she discusses articles on Twain and his books. The letter is copied by a different hand and both are in the file [MTP].

Eugene T. Skinkle wrote to Sam with questions about CS. Sam’s reply was published in the Chicago Tribune of 24 Apr. 1910; a copy from that paper in the file is only: “July 16/09 / Sir: / YES, I done it. M.T.” [MTP]

July 14 Wednesday — Isabel Ashcroft (Lyon) returned from her honeymoon to respond to the attachment Clemens had placed on her house, “The Lobster Pot.” The New York Times, p. 4, July 15, reported on the conflict and her return. The Ashcrofts had sailed from the US on June 8.

WANTS MARK TWAIN TO EXPLAIN TO HER

Mrs. Ashcroft Hurries Back from Her Honeymoon

Abroad to Find Out About $4,000 Suit.

FORMERLY HIS SECRETARY

July 15 Thursday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Frances Nunnally in Camp Esta-Naula East Sebago, Maine.

July 16 Friday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote a one-liner to Eugene T. Skinkle: “Sir: YES, I done it. / M.T.” [MTP: Chicago Tribune, 24 April 1910]. Note: Skinkle published a book, Practical Ice Making and Refrigeration (1897). See July 12. Sam answered Skinkle’s questions about CS; it is noted the Chicago paper carried this but three days after his death. Jean wrote on her father’s reply: Mr.

July 17 Saturday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote three notes to unidentified persons authorizing Albert B. Paine to take the contents of Sam’s safety deposit box. The second note survives [MTP: AAA-Anderson Galleries catalog 4346, Nov, 11-12 Nov. 1937, item 89]. Note: Hill points out that Paine was made manager of Clemens’ business affairs on this day, and “had the restrictions removed from his use of unpublished material in his biography” [242]. See also July 24,

July 18 Sunday - In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to daughter Clara:

Clärchen dear Jean is a surprise & a wonder. She has plenty of wisdom, judgment, penetration, practical good sense—like her mother—& character, courage, definiteness, decision; also goodness, a humane spirit, charity, kindliness, pity; industry, perseverance, intelligence, a clean mind, a clean soul, dignity, honesty, truthfulness, high ideals, loyalty, faithfulness to duty—she is everything that Miss Lyon isn’t.

July 19 Monday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Eric L. Pape in Gloucester, Mass..

Dear Mr. Pape, / By command of physicians, I am not to stir outside the limits of this farm for the next half year to come. Otherwise I would be there on the 4th of August and do my share in welcoming the President.

July 24 Saturday — Albert Bigelow Paine, as of July 17 the official manager of Clemens’ business affairs, signed an agreement on this day to take over the editing of the volumes of letters [Hill 242]. Note: this had originally been a duty reserved to Clara Clemens and/or Isabel Lyon.

July 26 Monday — Jean Clemens’ 29" birthday.

The New York Times, p. 1, “Taft’s Trip On Mississippi” reported that Mark Twain had been invited to pilot a steamer on the river when President Taft took a trip from St. Louis to New Orleans. Though the article referred to unnamed friends of Clemens saying he would probably accept the invitation due to his high regard for Taft, Sam’s health would not allow such a trip.

July 27 Tuesday — J. Wylie Smith wrote from Glascow, Scotland to Sam having read CS and lamenting the fact there was now 500 or so adherents in the city, plus a rumor that Clemens regretted writing the book and even that Clemens had become a Christian Scientist! [MTP].

July 28 Wednesday — An unidentified person in St. Francis Hospital, Cape Girardeau, Mo. sent a picture postcard of a levee and steamboat scene to Sam. Most of the penciled text is behind a pasted on sticker, but this much is legible: “Just a little reminder of the old Miss. R. “At the bottom the name appears to be “Anne C Hocky” [MTP].

July 29 Thursday —Sam’s new guestbook:

Chatto & Windus wrote to Sam, enclosing a financial statement and thanking him “for your kind letter of the 19th inst. ... We are indeed sorry to hear that you are not well...’” [MTP].

July 30 Friday — Sam’s new guestbook:

July 31 Saturday - Sam’s new guestbook:

August — Current Literature published an anonymous article, “Mark Twain from a New Angle” [Tenney 46]. In his third supplement, Tenney adds: Summarizes and quotes Henderson’s ‘Mark Twain’. ..; also, quotes INDEPENDENCE BELGE...where ‘Jacques Lux refers to Prof. Archibald Henderson’s study as one of rare consciousness and singular force. ‘The Yankees,’ he says, ‘are as proud of possessing a Mark Twain as their fathers were ashamed of acknowledging Edgar Poe as their fellow-countryman.

August 2 Monday — Sam’s new guestbook:

August 3 Tuesday — Jean Clemens, following up on the July 19 letter of her father’s to Eric L. Pape in Gloucester, Mass., wrote to Mrs. Pape. In part:

Dear Mrs. Pape, / Please pardon my discourtesy as being caused by my necessity as a farmer, of working not intentional. I meant to write long ago when I first received the invitation to attend the Gloucester celebration, but I am excessively busy these days as father’s secretary and farming on my own account, the days slipped by—rushed by, without my realizing how they sped.

August 4 Wednesday -The New York Times, p.1 continued to report on the conflict between Mark Twain and his former secretary:

ASHCROFT ACCUSES MISS CLARA CLEMENS

Says Mark Twain’s Daughter Made Charges

Because She Was Jealous of Her Success.

QUOTES HUMORIST’S LETTER

In It He Praised His Secretary and Rebuked

Daughter for Complaints—No Diversion of Funds.

August 5 Thursday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to John Brown, Jr. (“Jock”) in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Dear Mr. “Jock:” / Don’t you think you can find for me, among your father’s papers, a fugitive scrap of that dear little Marjorie’s penmanship? If you can, I will take good care of it & return it to you as soon as the engraver is done with it.

August 6 Friday - Sam’s new guestbook:

August 7 Saturday - In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Elinor M Howells (Mrs. William Dean Howells),

Dear Mrs, Howells: / Clara thinks that if she knows young Alden’s sister it must be under a married name, as she is doubtful if she has met any Miss Alden.