February 28 Sunday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Margery H. Clinton.
Dear Plumber who can’t plumb:
If opportunity offers, you must shake hands with Mr. Taft for me, that able & lovely man. And can’t you also do the like for yourselves—you & your beautiful pal?
I inquire to know.
With love & best wishes to you both [MTP].
February 28 Monday — Lauron Clemens Sears wrote from Ada, Okla. “Dear Sir..I am a little boy 9 years old and am named after you. In some way through the Johnson’s we are related. I would like to exchange pictures with you so you would know what I look like. I know your picture wherever I see it. / I hope you will answer this” [MTP].
February 3 Wednesday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Mai H. Coe and William Robertson Coe.
Dear Coes:
It has arrived, & Miss Lyon, who is ill in bed & under contract with the doctor to keep perfectly quiet for ten days, has gone into raptures & frenzies & convulsions of admiration & delight over it. But a happy earthquake doesn’t hurt a patient, it sets the drowsy circulation going at lightning-express gait, & does good. And that is what has resulted in this instance.
February 3 Thursday — At the Bay House in Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote to Albert B. Paine in Redding, Conn. Written to Paine just two months before Twain’s death, this note, in its black-bordered envelope (in mourning for Twain's daughter) concludes, as if in fun, with the words, I’ve got some more to say, but my secretary is busy & I am lazy” [MTP; Paraphrase: Dawson’s Bookshop catalogs, No. 150, Dec. 1940, Item 138].
February 4 Thursday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote a postcard (with a picture of Stormfield) to Ruth Woods in Philippi, W. Va.: “Thank you ever so much, dear Ruth, for suggesting it, but the truth is I am much too old & indolent to take up writing again. / Sincerely your friend / SL. Clemens” [MTP].
February 4 Friday — At the Bay House in Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote to Andrew Carnegie.
Dear St. Andrew:
This will introduce & endorse to you Mr. Morgan; & as this is the first time I have ever given anyone a letter of introduction to you out of 150 applications, “dying I salute you!” and urgently beg you to let him talk to you on a matter which is not trivial but is of very high importance to our country & to its loftiest interests.
February 5 Friday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Margaret Blackmer.
February 5 Saturday — In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam inscribed his photograph to an unidentified woman: “To Etheldoralinda, from her principal best friend” [MTP]. Note: The playfulness of the name used by Sam infers a young lady.
Sam also began a letter to Albert B. Paine that he finished Feb. 7.
Dear Paine:
Your preliminary report is very fine.
Under “Salaries” it lacks one item, not yet payable: Stanchfield, which is about $80 a month.
February 6 Saturday — Sam’s new guestbook:
February 6 Sunday — Albert Bigelow Paine wrote from Redding to Clemens:
February 7 Sunday — Clara Clemens and Ossip Gabrilowitsch arrived at Stormfield; at least this date was given in the guestbook. However, on Feb. 8 in a letter to Frances Nunnally, Sam misdated it Feb. 9, which may present confusion. Victor Fischer of the MTP confirms that the Feb. 8 letter was misdated.
February 7 Monday — In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam finished his Feb. 5 to Albert Bigelow Paine in Redding, Conn.
Monday, Feb. 7. Yesterday Mr. Allen took us on an excursion in Mr. Hamilton’s big motor boat. Present, Mrs, Allen, Mr. and Mrs. & Miss Sloan, Helen, Mildred Howells, Claude, & me. Several hours’ swift skimming over ravishing blue seas under a brilliant sun; also a couple of hours of picknicking & lazying under the cedars in a secluded place.
February 8 Monday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote “the newest postcard” (“Posing for Admiration”) to daughter Jean.
February 9 Tuesday — In Redding, Conn. Sam sent the “Posing for Admiration” postcard to Margery Hamilton Clinton. “Ashcroft has must arrived with the news—& your date—Tuesday the 23*, You are a very dear plumber, & will be most welcome. Bring several changes of soldering irons—for you must stay as long as you can. / Affectionately” [MTP].
E. Mayban Denbeigh wrote from NY asking for “<a little message” to read to her literary club [MTP].
February 9 Wednesday — W.T. Whaley wrote in a child’s hand from Waxahachie, Texas to offer condolences and ask for a photograph [MTP].
January 1 Friday – In Redding, Conn., Isabel V. Lyon replied for Sam to the Dec. 28, 1908 from Clara Frazer in Withers Mill, Mo.
Dear Miss Frazer: / Mr. Clemens asks me to write for him & say certainly you may have that photograph copyrighted, & then used on post cards.
It is such a pretty little photograph that when the cards are printed, Mr Clemens hopes to have some of them.
January 1 Saturday — Sam signed a typewritten letter to an unidentified person concerning the appointment of Albert B. Paine as his secretary and manager of his affairs [MTP: American Arts Association-Anderson Galleries catalogs, No. 4346, 11-12 Nov. 1937, Item 89].
Sam also wrote to Elizabeth Wallace.
Dear Betsy: / I cant write. For I am ill with a cold—the first one I have had in two years. The pain in my breast has come back—so I am leaving for Bermuda next Wednesday, for an indefinite stay.
January 10 Sunday – Richard Watson Gilder wrote on Wells College, Aurora NY letterhead to ask Sam if he could be present on Wed. Jan. 13 at Carnegie Hall, 5 p.m. for a meeting in memory of Stedman—“if it wouldn’t be a burden” [MTP].
January 10 Monday — Albert Bigelow Paine wrote from Redding to Clemens:
January 11 Monday – In Redding, Conn. Sam inscribed his photo to Anne Sullivan Macy
(Mrs. John Albert Macy): “To Mrs. John Sullivan Macy, with warm regard, & with limitless admiration of the wonders she has performed as a miracle-worker—/ Mark Twain / Stormfield, Jan. 11/09.” [MTP].
Sam’s new guestbook:
Name Address Date Remarks
Helen Keller Jan. 11 [see below]
January 11 Tuesday - In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote to Albert B. Paine in West Redding, Conn,
January 12 Tuesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to the Jan. 8 from General Oliver Otis Howard (1830-1909).
Dear General Howard:
You pay me a most gratifying compliment in asking me to preside, & it causes me very real regret that I am obliged to decline, for the object of the meeting appeals strongly to me, since that object is to aid in raising the $500,000 Endowment Fund for Lincoln Memorial University.
January 12 Wednesday — Mr. & Mrs. A.S. Kelley from Palmyra, Mo. wrote condolences [MTP].
January 13 Wednesday – Ino Downey for the Men’s Club of Holy Trinity Church, NYC wrote to invite Sam to their annual dinner on Feb. 22 [MTP]. Note: “Ans. Jan 14 M.L.H.”
January 14 Thursday – In Redding, Conn., Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Archibald Henderson at the Univ. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill.