21 Fifth Ave - Day By Day

November 11 Sunday – Thomas Bailey Aldrich left 21 Fifth Ave. after a weekend stay with Twain. He [Lyon to H. Whitmore Nov. 12].

November 11 Monday – Fatout lists a dinner speech for Sam at the Homeopathic Society, N.Y.C. but gives no particulars and none were found [MT Speaking 678].

Howard Kyle wrote on Players notepaper to ask Sam if he might bring a photo taken of Clemens in the Players Booth at the Actors Fund Fair last May, for his signature [MTP].

An unidentified person wrote to Sam (only the env. Survives; Sam wrote on it, “Invite the Laffans”) [MTP].

November 12 Monday – In N.Y.C. Isabel V. Lyon wrote to Harriet E. Whitmore.

The darling wonderful White King isn’t out of the house yet. It wasn’t a bad bronchitis, but it housed him well & on Saturday when Thomas Bailey Aldrich was here—(he came Friday & left Sunday) the King hopped around without many clothes on & so added to his bronchial condition which finished with heavy coughing again. But again he is better.

November 12 Tuesday – The New York Times, Nov. 13, p.9, “Reception to Mark Twain,”reported:  

Reception to Mark Twain.

———

Author the Guest of Honor at the Colony Club.

The officers and members of the Colony Club gave a reception yesterday afternoon [Nov. 12] in honor of Mark Twain.

      Mrs. J. Borden Harriman, the President of the club; Mrs. Richard Irving, and other club officers received.

November 13 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Jean , in Katonah, N.Y. “Jean dear, since I wrote the other day, conditions have not changed—at least for the better. They stopped me from playing billiards & I have been in bed ever since.” Sam then told of his “Stag dinner party” of Nov. 9, and of being tired on Nov. 10 from playing billiards until the wee hours, and of not going to Henry M. Alden’s dinner party celebrating his 70 . He was ordered to bed by Dr. Halsey. He finished with:

November 14 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Ill on this day” [MTP TS 146].

Fanny Flint Conradson wrote from Franklin, Pa. to Sam. She, like many others, had read in the NY Herald of his bronchitis. She was a lifelong fan of his books since IA. Now she was a “twisted cripple” but owed much to his books for lightening her load.

November 14 Thursday – Sam took a walk up Fifth Ave. to 42nd Street. At 4 p.m. at the Church of the Ascension, Sam attended the wedding of Miss Marjorie Rice, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Clarence C. Rice, to Gordon Means of Boston [NY Times, Nov. 13, 1907, p. 9; Nov. 15 to Jean: Nov. 21 to Mary Rogers].

In the evening he played billiards till midnight [Nov. 15 to Jean].

November 15 Wednesday – In N.Y.C. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to John Larkin to complain about the new steam heating system installed in the house. The five men who had investigated the problem had not solved it; the main problem being a “constant singing” in the front bedroom radiators, even when cold, which forced his daughters to put beds in their sitting rooms. He requested the matter be brought before the contractor, James A. Renwick, as soon as possible [MTP]. 

November 15 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal noted she was still ill [MTP TS 146].

J.G. Babb Secretary for University of Missouri wrote to Sam requesting his portrait, though it must be “approved by a committee competent to pass on its artistic merit” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “No answer – the terms of the letter being uncourteous to the verge of brutality.”

November 15 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Jean in Katonah, N.Y.  

November 16 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to Chauncey M. Depew.

Having had some experience with the methods of the Oppenheimer Institute, through the case of a dependent whom I sent to take the cure, I am interested in knowing what results others have found in the Oppenheimer treatment. As your name is given as one of the advisory directors of the Institute I infer that you have personal knowledge of beneficial results to patients. Will you kindly inform me of any cases within your own knowledge, and oblige [MTP].

November 16 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:

C.C. walks out of my room in her blue wrapper & says, “Damn the profession, I don’t like anything about it!”

Today I went downstairs in the afternoon. The King was playing billiards with AB. C.C. went to sing down in the bowery, & the King & I dined alone; later I played the Lohengrin Wedding March for him twice [MTP TS 147].

Chapters from “My Autobiography—VI” ran in the N.A.R. p.961-70.

November 16 Saturday – Alice Minnie Herts wrote to Miss Lyon the “final plan” for next Tuesday (19th) evening [MTP].

Julia Marlowe wrote on The Plaza, NYC notepaper to Sam. “I am eager you should see this reprint of an article by Arthur Symons which appeared in London…Do you not think it superbly written?”  [MTP].

November 17 Saturday – Roi Cooper Megrue wrote to Isabel Lyon enclosing Ernest Hendrie’s reply to Elisabeth Marbury’s Oct. 29 about dramatization rights for “The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg.” Lyon wrote on Megrue’s letter sometime after Nov. 17:

Katherine telephoned

M . Timory can have the right to dramatize The Interviewer M . Hendrie be may be right, but r M . Clemens doesn’t remember. wrote Mr. Hendrie—Mr.H needn’t be surprised that M . Clemens has forgotten, for he always forgets everything of that nature.

November 17 Sunday – Rudolphine Scheffer Ely wrote from NYC to Sam inviting him to the opening meeting of the Civic Forum on Wednesday, Nov. 20 [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote on the letter, “Mr. Clemens has engagement”

H.E. Wallace, Jr. wrote from NYC a letter of appreciation for “Huck and Jim” [MTP].

C.C. White wrote from Milford, Mass. to Miss Lyon, touched by the NAR segment with the death of Susy [MTP].

November 18 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Mr. Halsey—S. Phi.” [MTP TS 34].

Ralph W. Ashcroft wrote on Koy-Lo Co. letterhead to Sam that he’d responded to Stanchfield’s Nov. 17. Ashcroft asked Stanchfield if he wanted to sell more Spiral Pin Co. shares [MTP].

November 18 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frances Nunnally.

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.

November 19 Monday – In the morning at 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Mary B. Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers, Jr.), enclosing his latest photograph for her opinion; he wanted to put it in a locket for Clara. He revealed his creative method for catching up on mail, since Isabel Lyon was ill.

November 19 Tuesday – Sam gave a curtain speech at the P&P performance by the Children’s Educational Theatre, directed by Alice Minnie Herts. The New York Times, Nov. 20, p.9, reported on the event:  

UPTOWN AUDIENCE AT CHILDREN’S PLAY

Society Folk, as Mark Twain’s Guests, See “The Prince and the Pauper.”

——— ——— ———

HOST’S SPEECH CUT SHORT

Miss Herts, Founder of the Theatre, Says the Object is to Develop Latent Dramatic Talent.