April 20 Monday – If Sam’s estimate was correct, Dorothy Quick, Angelfish, would arrive for a vist at about 2 p.m. this day. See his letter to Dorothy of Apr. 16.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Went to look at Cremone bolts” [MTP: IVL TS 47]. Note: Cremone bolts are used for door and window casement locks; sliding bolts.
April 21 Tuesday – Sam, feeling “in the humor to dance” at midnight, “went round the corner,” but not finding Nancy Langhorne Astor there, decided not to dance [Apr. 28 to Astor].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Went to hunt for wall paperings. Santa and her troupe are planning to go to England [MTP: IVL TS 47].
Alice Moran wrote from Oil City, Penn. to Sam.
April 22 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: The King, Dorothy, Ashcroft and I went down to the Aquarium today for a little frolic, but the King was very limp, and didn’t stay there very long, for there weren’t the wonderful fish that you see in Bermuda waters. The angel fish cannot live here at all it would seem. The King cosied-up in the corner of the elevated train, and come home to rest for Zoeth and Grace Freeman came to dine and to meet ABP. AB wasn’t very well, and so not very bright, but Grace was scintillating [MTP: IVL TS 447-48].
April 23 Thursday – The New York Times, p. 13, “Business Troubles” ran a paragraph on the Plasmon Co. of America’s bankruptcy:
April 24 Friday – Clemens and Ralph Ashcroft traveled to Greenwich, Conn. to visit Jean Clemens. Jean, her two nurses, and friend Marguerite Schmidt; the ladies would shortly move to Gloucester, Mass. Meanwhile, Isabel Lyon inspected the construction site of what would be Stormfield at Redding [Hill 197; 203]. Note: the exact date of Jean’s move was not determined, but on May 20, Sam wrote a “welcome to your new home” for her. It becomes apparent that Hill used IVL’s journals for much of his source, though he didn’t always cite it.
April 25 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Helen Schuyler Allen.
I miss you ever so much, you dear Helen. There’s been a queer & constant reminder of you— salt in my hair—ever since that pleasant bath, until an hour ago when I washed it out with 5 separate & distinct soapings & scourings.
We had an enjoyable voyage—(though a little rough)—because I had a member of the Aquarium along, & also the Governor General. The Governor General (Gray)—is just a love!
April 26 Sunday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Eden Phillpotts.
Dear Mr. Phillpotts:
The Human Boy Again has arrived, & I have just begun it & am greatly enjoying it. Meantime (in Bermuda) I read—& re-read—The Mother of the Man, with high admiration. A great book!
I wish I had energy enough to resume work upon one or two of my several half-finished books —but that is a dream, & won’t ever come true. / Cordially your friend … [MTP].
April 27 Monday – Helen Schuyler Allen wrote to Sam.
My dear Mr. Clemens, / I was afraid that possibly you had forgotten to write me, so decided I would write you first, and tell you how much I have missed you, I shall always remember the lovely times we had together and particularly our fine swim that last day you were in Bermuda.
When ever I use my camera I think of you, and how kind you were to help me get it. Please do write me soon. I remain you loving and devoted “Angel-fish” / Helen Schuyler Allen
April 28 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Nancy Langhorne Astor.
I am very sorry to hear that you have been sick, & very glad to believe that you are well again.
I wonder if I am really to have the lark of darting over to England & back, in the summer? The thought of it is enticing, but—There’s always a but. I do not suppose I can go—still, it is good enough material to dream upon, till by & by.
April 29 Wednesday– Sam wrote a sketch unpublished until 2009: “Dr. Van Dyke as a Man and as a Fisherman” [Who Is Mark Twain? xxvi, 87-94]. Note: title assigned by the MTP. Undoubtedly the sketch owes itself to an Atlantic article in the May 1908 issue by Henry Bradford Washburn, “Shall We Hunt and Fish? The Confessions of a Sentimentalist,” where Washburn opens with a quotation from Van Dyke’s “Some Remarks on Gulls, with a Foot-note on a Fish,” Scribner’s Magazine Aug. 1907. In his A.D.
April 30 Thursday – Frances Nunnally wrote from Baltimore to Sam.
May – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam inscribed a copy of LM to an unidentified person: “Mark Twain /. I published this book at my own expense, as an experiment in economy. It cost me fifty-six thousand dollars before the first copy issued from the press. / SLC / May, 1908.”
Sam discussed The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine (1737-1809) with Albert Bigelow Paine, who quotes Twain:
May 1 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to the Apr. 30 to Frances Nunnally.
The way you are arranging things, you little rascal, what sort of a glimpse of you am I going to get? Before the 6th of June we shall be living in the house I am building in the country. However, it isn’t far away—only an hour & a half. When you arrive here I will come to town & see you—& then I hope you & your mother can run out to the villa with me & give me a visit.
May 2 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Headache. So ill all day, for I wept without control for hours last night, because I was exhausted, and the fact that Santa [Clara] misunderstood all my efforts, in working over the house. My anxiety over the finishings, my interest in my search for the right thing for the King’s house has all been misinterpreted, and the child says I am trying to ignore her. All my effort has been to please her, to keep her from the dreary search of hours and hours to find the right thing, or shape or color.
May 3 Sunday– Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Ill all day, but I did go up to the Wayland’s for dinner with a stiff larynx—and a heavy heart” [MTP: IVL TS 51].
A.J. Dawson wrote from Scotland to ask Sam, “When will you come back again? The U.S. shouldn’t be selfish; we too have rights….Yours so affectionately.” Dawson quoted Sam’s “The Aged Pilot Man” from RI (1872) [MTP].
May 4 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to the May 3 from Dorothy Quick.
You are just a dear, you little rascal! I shall be so glad to see you. I shall be downstairs waiting for you at 11.30 when you come.
It was lovely of you to send me the original MS of the story.
We certainly did have good times in Tuxedo, & I guess we will duplicate them in the new house in the country. We’ll start The Author’s League again, & you will dictate & I will be your amanuensis.
May 5 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Eulabee Dix / Mr. Clemens remembers that you want a sitting for his hand./ Margery. / Mustn’t forget that Mr. Clemens is counting on your & Carolines visit. It isn’t entirely selfish” [MTP: IVL TS 52]. Note: this entry is on a separate scrap of paper, undated and placed in this date; it may not relate.
May 6 Wednesday – In N.Y.C. Isabel Lyon wrote for Sam to Frederick A. Duneka.
“Mr. Clemens asks me to write for him & say that as these people want such a small quantity of stuff, & as it would look better to be in the collection than out of it, if you have no objection he will tell them to go ahead” [MTP]. Note: likely some unidentified group wanting to reprint snippets of Mark Twain’s published works, though also unidentified.
May 7 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “I dined, Mother too, with the Waylands at the Café Beaux Arts and then we went to see Margaret Illington [Frohman] again in ‘The Thief’”[MTP: IVL TS 52].
Charles H. Keep for the Knickerbocker Trust sent a form letter thanking Sam as one of their depositors, allowing them to reorganize [MTP].
May 8 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Dorothy Quick.
(Joan of Arc’s Day.)
Your letter came last night, dear, & brought me such a disappointment. I am so sorry you have a cold, but glad you are taking proper care of it. It would not be wise for you to make a journey in the draughty cars at such a time.
May 9 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Dorothy Sturgis.
Dear Miss Dorothy:
May 10 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “The Waylands and the Frohmans were here for dinner again, and a young journalist” [MTP: IVL TS 53].
Frances Nunnally wrote to Sam.
May 11 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Margaret Frohman has sent me a darling colonial tea service” [MTP: IVL TS 53].
A.C. Furbush wrote from Georgetown, Conn., hearing of Sam’s plans to donate books to start a library in West Redding at the Umpawaug Chapel. Furbush argued that Clemens’ books would get better exposure if he donated them to Georgetown’s library, which was recently started by laboring people [MTP].
May 12 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Dorothy Quick.
You dear little Dorothy, it was very fortunate that you escaped the pinkeye, for although a cold is bad, pinkeye is worse, & is a stubborn & painful malady.
I shall look for you Saturday morning with high anticipations. We’ve got a box for “Girls,” & they say it is very good, & is clean & wholesome & hasn’t any of that horrible ballet-dancing in it, such as we saw last Saturday.
May 13 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote a letter of introduction for George M. Robinson, wealthy Elmira furniture maker, to Bram Stoker. “This is George Robinson, a friend of mine of 40 years’ standing, & I hope you will tell him the things he wishes to know, for Clara’s sake & mine” [MTP]. Note: George M. Robinson was a lineal descendant of John Robinson, one of the Mayflower emigrants of 1620. See Aug. 20, 1890 entry, Vol. II. Also, the reference to Clara and the need for Sam’s note become clear by this May 14, 1908, p.