October 14 Saturday – Thomas S. Barbour, of the Congo Reform Assoc., Boston, wrote to Sam, asking for a “few minutes at your place of entertainment” the following week when Sam planned to be in Boston [MTP]. Notes: MTP gives “on or after 14 October” for Lyon’s response for Sam. Oct. 14 is reasonable for a post to reach Dublin from Boston. The response: “Perhaps it would be better to call up Mr. Clemens at Pearmains address private”. Sumner Bass Pearmain and Alice Whittemore Upton Pearmain were active in Boston society, educational and social work.
Dublin in the Summer of 1905 - Day By Day
October 15 Sunday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to daughter Clara at 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y.
Dublin, Sunday,9.30 & 10.30 a.m.
Dublin, Sunday,9.30 & 10.30 a.m.
October 16 Monday – Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Ambrose Lee, acknowledging his letter of Oct. 13. Lyon’s response is not extant but is referred to in Lee’s Oct. 18 to Sam [MTP].
Clemens also wrote to the Congo Reform Assoc. in Boston, the letter not extant but referred to in Tyler’s Oct. 17 reply.
October 17 Tuesday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to John Y. MacAlister in London about the passing of Henry Irving: “All our people mourn him. He earned their love & esteem at his first coming & never lost it. He was endeared to me by a warm friendship of thirty-three years” [MTP]. Note: Sam also ordered a wreath sent to Irving’s funeral [Clara’s enclosure in Oct. 19 to MacAlister].
October 18 Wednesday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to daughter Clara at 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y.
October 19 Thursday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to John Y. MacAlister. Sam enclosed two letters, he’d received from Katy Leary (Oct. 18) and a partial letter from daughter Clara.
It was most kind & thoughtful of you, & if Clara were here she would thank you, as I do—as you will see by the scrap from her letter enclosed. When your first telegram came I had already telegraphed Col. Harvey & Howells to send cables & include me. That is why I did not send a sentiment until you asked for it.
It was most kind & thoughtful of you, & if Clara were here she would thank you, as I do—as you will see by the scrap from her letter enclosed. When your first telegram came I had already telegraphed Col. Harvey & Howells to send cables & include me. That is why I did not send a sentiment until you asked for it.
October – Sam sent an aphorism to an unknown person: “Taking the pledge will not make bad liquor good, but it will improve it.” [MTP].
Current Literature published a photograph (no credit given) of Mark Twain, facing p. 353 [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Third Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1979 p. 190].
Sam inscribed his copy of Roman Society from Nero to Marcus Aurelius, by Sir Samuel Dill (1844-1924): “SL. Clemens / October 1905” [Gribben 193].
Current Literature published a photograph (no credit given) of Mark Twain, facing p. 353 [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Third Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1979 p. 190].
Sam inscribed his copy of Roman Society from Nero to Marcus Aurelius, by Sir Samuel Dill (1844-1924): “SL. Clemens / October 1905” [Gribben 193].
October 2 Monday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to Frederick A. Duneka of Harper’s.
I have just finished a short story which I “greatly admire,” & so will you—“A Horse’s Tale”— about 15,000 words, at a rough guess. It has good fun in it, & several characters, & is lively. I shall finish revising & re-revising it & re-revising it in a few days or more, then Jean will type
Don’t you think you can get it into the Jan. & Feb. numbers & issue it as a dollar booklet just after the middle of Jan when you issue the Feb. number?
I have just finished a short story which I “greatly admire,” & so will you—“A Horse’s Tale”— about 15,000 words, at a rough guess. It has good fun in it, & several characters, & is lively. I shall finish revising & re-revising it & re-revising it in a few days or more, then Jean will type
Don’t you think you can get it into the Jan. & Feb. numbers & issue it as a dollar booklet just after the middle of Jan when you issue the Feb. number?
October 20 Friday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to daughter Clara.
Clarchen dear, I wish to learn to make the right & just allowance for Jean, & to try to keep constantly in mind that she is heavily afflicted by that unearned, undeserved & hellish disease, & is not strictly responsible for her disposition & her acts when she is under its influence (if there is ever a time when she is really free from its influence—which is doubtful). She has had 2 attacks to-day.
October 21 Saturday – As planned (see Oct. 15 and Oct. 20 to Clara; Oct. 19 to MacAlister), Sam went to stay with the Pearmain’s Back Bay, 388 Bacon St., Boston. He was telegraphed there on Oct. 25 by Miller Reese Hutchinson [MTP].
October 3 Tuesday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam finished his Oct. 1 to daughter Clara.
October 4 Wednesday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to daughter Clara, c/o Miss Gordon, 117 W. 69th NYC. Only the envelope survives [MTP].
October 5 Thursday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.
At 3 p.m. to-day I finished the fifth & last revising of “A Horse’s Tale” & am going to bed & stay there 2 weeks, for I am a free person once more. I have worked like a slave, from morning till—well, all day,—for I don’t know how many consecutive days [He began Sept. 23], & have enjoyed it ever so much—thoroughly, in fact—but I’m as tired as a dog.
At 3 p.m. to-day I finished the fifth & last revising of “A Horse’s Tale” & am going to bed & stay there 2 weeks, for I am a free person once more. I have worked like a slave, from morning till—well, all day,—for I don’t know how many consecutive days [He began Sept. 23], & have enjoyed it ever so much—thoroughly, in fact—but I’m as tired as a dog.
October 6 Friday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to daughter Clara, soon to be at 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y., where Sam addressed the letter:
Why, you little rat, somebody had to be blamed, so I selected [Dr. Edward] Quintard in place of myself. I was thinking of having him hanged, but for your sake I will let him off, for the present.
So you have got at the “real cause” of your ill turn, & it was a doctor. I could have told you that much. It’s an awful trade for a Christian.
Why, you little rat, somebody had to be blamed, so I selected [Dr. Edward] Quintard in place of myself. I was thinking of having him hanged, but for your sake I will let him off, for the present.
So you have got at the “real cause” of your ill turn, & it was a doctor. I could have told you that much. It’s an awful trade for a Christian.
October 7 Saturday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote a long letter to Frederick A.
Duneka about “A Horse’s Tale.” Proofs sent to me here before October 17 or to 21 Fifth Avenue, after November 3, will get immediate attention…I’ve made a poor guess as to the number of words. I think there must be 20,000. My usual page of MS. Contains about 130 words; but when I am deeply interested in my work and dead to everything else, my hand-write shrinks and shrinks until there’s a great deal more than 130 on a page…this tale is written in that small hand.
October 8 Sunday – R.H. Wilson wrote from Brooklyn, NY to Sam, asking about JA—was it “true history,” and if so, why was it written under the name Luis DeConte? [MTP].
October 9 Monday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote two letters to Frederick A. Duneka of Harper’s.
The easiest way for me to furnish the details you ask for . . . is handy for you too; for you can at your pleasure talk the details to any journalist that come to you or print my letter on slips & hand them to as many of the boys as will accept . . .
…As to other matters here are the details.
Yes, I have tried a number of summer homes, here & in Europe together.
September 1 Friday – In Dublin, N.H. Isabel V. Lyon replied for Sam to the Aug. 19 of William Hill. Sam was not well enough to write letters, she wrote, and he was seldom moved to write anything, and what he did write belonged to Harper & Brothers as he had a “very rigid contract” [MTP].
Isabel Lyon’s Journal: “I have written to Miss Bright that I cannot, cannot, cannot write that article. Evey bit of me rebels, every bit of my mind and body” [MTP TS 92]. Note: see Aug. 26 entry.
September 10 Sunday – Sam’s Sept. 5 note to George B. Harvey, explaining why he could not meet the Russian envoys (who had negotiated the Portsmouth Treaty) at a dinner at the Metropolitan Club last Thursday, Sept. 7 was published in the New York Times, p. 2, “Twain’s Tribute to Envoys.” See Sept. 5.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: His morning Mr. Clemens read aloud to me some more of the [his] Gospel.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: His morning Mr. Clemens read aloud to me some more of the [his] Gospel.
September 11 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Mr. and Mrs. Sumner, Mrs. Greene and Miss Greene dined here. Mr. Clemens wasn’t well. He is suffering from indigestion and he wasn’t himself and everything went wrong.
Jean went to look at the Upton house for another year.
I went with Miss Greene for a little drive up to Mr. Pumpelly’s wonderful height [MTP TS 96]. Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Jean went to look at the Upton house with a view to taking it for next summer & she likes it” [MTP TS 27].
Jean went to look at the Upton house for another year.
I went with Miss Greene for a little drive up to Mr. Pumpelly’s wonderful height [MTP TS 96]. Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Jean went to look at the Upton house with a view to taking it for next summer & she likes it” [MTP TS 27].
September 12 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:
Jean—Bathroom, 10 AM. Mr. Clemens has been in bed all day living on toasts and gruels and he is nervous. The indigestion seems better but its traces remain. A letter came today from Col. Harvey in which he said that he showed the letter Mr. Clemens wrote, in response to the invitation to the banquet to the Russians, to Mr. Witte. He couldn’t read it—so it was translated for him and he asked for it to take it back to Russia to his Czar [MTP TS 96].
Jean—Bathroom, 10 AM. Mr. Clemens has been in bed all day living on toasts and gruels and he is nervous. The indigestion seems better but its traces remain. A letter came today from Col. Harvey in which he said that he showed the letter Mr. Clemens wrote, in response to the invitation to the banquet to the Russians, to Mr. Witte. He couldn’t read it—so it was translated for him and he asked for it to take it back to Russia to his Czar [MTP TS 96].
September 13 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “A wooly game! Today Mrs. Henderson came with two of her delightful children. Mr. Clemens isn’t very well—he is on a strict diet of plasmon and broths and he looks white and badly” [MTP TS 96, 98].
Albert Lee for Collier’s Weekly wrote to Sam, enclosing a check for $150 for payment of his article on Christian Citizenship. “We have received a number of letters concerning it, among others one from a gentleman who sends you a ticket to Heaven, which I submit herewith” [MTP].
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September 14 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:
September 15 Friday – Dublin, N.H.: Sam wrote to Clara Clemens. Clärchen dear, I have just written the [Hotel] Touraine that you & Miss Alling may possibly arrive Tuesday the 19th ; & to take care of you. I have told Katy you are going to New York the 20th; you will see her there.
September 16 Saturday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam replied to Lilian W. Aldrich’s Sept. 15:
Dear Mrs. T.B.: / You don’t need the secretary. Mr. Rogers does not see very many of the business letters that go to 26 Broadway, but he sees & reads all the personal letters that go there addressed to him.
I am going to hope with all my might that I can go from another friend’s house in Boston about the 27th or the 28th of October & have a day with you; but I’ll have to excuse Jean—she would be too much responsibility for me.
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