Stormfield - Day By Day

August 26 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “The King watches Tammany’s kittens by the enchanted half hour. We get them into the library after dinner. They carry on like beautiful wild monkeys” [MTP: IVL TS 62].  

Jeannette Cholmeley-Jones wrote from Redding Ridge to Sam. “I hardly know how to express to you how much I enjoyed our all too short visit at ‘Stormfield.’” She thought it a “great privilege” and “one of the greatest treats” she’d ever had, and she was still reflecting on what he talked about [MTP].

August 27 Thursday – Anna Goldschmidt wrote from Hamburg, Germany to Sam about “A Dog’s Tale,” and the great pleasure she had translating it. Since this was the first translation she’d attempted she sent a copy for his review, hoping he would give permission for her to publish [MTP].

August 28 Friday – In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Aug. 25 of  Fred V. Christ: 

Dear Sir: / You say: “I often owe my best sermons to a suggestion received in reading” . . . and let us add, “or from other exterior sources.”

Your remark is not quite in accordance with the facts. We must change it to “I owe all my thoughts, sermons & ideas to suggestions received from sources outside of myself.”

The simplified English of this proposition is—

August 29 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Benares [Ashcroft] came back from Canada today and arrived when Paine was playing billiards with the King and I was unpacking books” [MTP: IVL TS 62].

August 30 Sunday – In his Sept. 3 to Dorothy Quick, Sam related, “We had a kind of house- warming three or four days ago, & the people of the countryside came, about 300, young & old, & boys & girls, & we had a very pleasant afternoon.” The gathering was likely this day, and included the guestbook entries below; these guests were residents of the surrounding area, which Sam gave no addresses for.

Sam’s New guestbook:  

Name Address Date Remarks

August 31 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “John and Isabel Wayland came today” [MTP: IVL TS 62].

James Ross Clemens wrote to Sam, having arrived in South Dartmouth, Mass. and finding Sam’s invitation for him and his wife to visit Stormfield. Unfortunately only he could come and wanted to look in the following Sunday. He would stay overnight [MTP].

September 1 Tuesday – Sam had Mr. & Mrs. Albert Bigelow Paine, and daughter Louise to luncheon [Sept. 3 to Quick]. Note: he did not enter this visit into his new guestbook.

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Lou and David arrived to visit mother, but I couldn’t meet them, for I was full of the King’s reception today” [MTP: IVL TS 62].

Bruno Frede wrote from Altona a.d. Elbe, Germany to ask for Mark Twain’s autograph. He included some verses in German [MTP].

September – Sam inscribed a photograph of himself in his white suit sitting in a chair and holding a book, to Isabel S. Wayland (Mrs. John Elton Wayland): “Mrs. John Wayland, with the affectionate regards of Mark Twain, Sept/08”[Sotheby’s auction June 19, 2003, Lot 127]. The Waylands were logged into Sam’s guest book for the period Aug. 31 to Sept 2, giving their home as “Little Pumpkin Island.”  

September 2 Wednesday – Dorothy Quick wrote to Sam.

My dear Mr Clemens.

September 3 Thursday– In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Aug. 31 from James R. Clemens by sending a telegram:  “Shall be very happy to see you on Sunday but am very sorry you not both come. / S. L. Clemens” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Dorothy Quick in Plainfield, N.J.

September 4 Friday – Frances Nunnally wrote from Brown’s Hotel, London to Sam.

Dear Mr. Clemens,—

September 5 Saturday – Sam’s new guestbook:  

Name Address Date Remarks

Harriet Enders Pittsfield, Mass September 5-6

John O. Enders “               “ “              “

John Howells New York City “              “ [Illegible notes]

September 6 Sunday – Note guestbook for Sept 5-6 above. Sam’s guestbook, as well as IVL TS 63-64:

Name Address Date Remarks

James Ross Clemens M.D. St. Louis, Mo. September 6-8 [Illegible notes]

September 7 Monday – James Ross Clemens was a guest at the Redding house [new guestbook]. Also stopping by for a visit were the following Redding neighbors. Sam’s new guestbook:

    Name Address Date Remarks

Annie R. Banks ——————————— ———————————

Fannie Sanford Shaw From over September 7 [Fanny]

Emma Shaw Reid on the Ridge

Marshal E. Driggs ——————————— ———————————

September 8 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “There is a row about the red ms. trunk with Mrs. Paine who insulted the King and Benares and me over the telephone” [MTP: IVL TS 64].

James Ross Clemens ended his visit at the Redding house [new guestbook]. Sam’s guestbook shows another two-day stay by a Member of the Aquarium, or Angelfish.

Name Address Date Remarks

Marjorie S. Breckenridge, M.A. From down the glen. September 6-8

September 9 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “We met Santa today at the Cunard pier.

Paine came in pale, and I begged him not to quarrel there. He had no intention of that though. Santa came right up here to Redding and finds it very beautiful” [MTP: IVL TS 64].

September 10 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Will [Charles Wark] came up this morning. / At early breakfast came 2 letters from Paine. Benares and I were in the loggia at breakfast and I had to have him read them, for since the day when Paine wrote a letter that must have been terrible, for he forestalled my reading of it.”

September 11 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Benares came this afternoon” [MTP: IVL TS 64-65].

September 12 Saturday – Sam’s new guestbook:  

Name Address Date Remarks

Silas W. Driggs ——————————— ———————————

Teresa W. Driggs From over the Ridge September 12

Clara D. Driggs

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “We worked in the garret over ms. trunks” [MTP: IVL TS 65].

September 13 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “We worked again over ms. trunks and in the afternoon drove over to the Griggs log cabin, Benares and I” [MTP: IVL TS 65].

September 14 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “I went to town with Santa” [MTP: IVL TS 65].

September 15 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “I came back from town with Santa” [MTP: IVL TS 65].

Hawaii Promotion Co. sent a press release about the imminent shipment of the koa wood mantel carved by Franz (Frank) Nickolous Otremba, who had worked on the piece the last four months [MTP].

September 16 Wednesday – Dorothy Butes wrote from England to thank Clemens for his autograph:

September 17 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Charles Gilman Norris (1881- 1945), author and playwright (see notes) in Toronto.

September 18 Friday – At 12:30 a.m. two burglars, Charles Hoffman and Henry Williams, broke into Sam’s home in Redding, Conn. They were surprised by Isabel Lyon as they were removing silverware. As they were fleeing Claude Benchotte the French butler fired shots at them, and a neighbor, Harry A. Lounsbury, followed them.