Tuxedo Park 1907 - Day By Day

September 29 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: A rainy day, and so a stop was put to the plans for entertaining Francesca and her mother. Late in the morning we assembled in the living room and played Hearts. I wonder what dear spirit put Hearts in my head yesterday, for otherwise we had been at a loss. It is hard to entertain brand new people [MTP TS 108-109].

Edward Anthony wrote from Cleveland, Ohio to Sam. “I am a boy collecting cigar bands.” Could Sam send some for his collection? [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote on the letter, “Answd. Oct. 2, ‘07”

September 3 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Dorothy arrived. / Such a very very nice dinner at the Sampsons. Mr. [Charles E.] Sampson is the head of that house, for even the fine beautiful table linen is exquisitely marked with his initials & the silver too, has his lettering. He was very delightful. He told me how when he was a boy he crossed from Europe on the steamer with Emerson & how dear Emerson was, waiting on his sister who was an invalid [MTP TS 99- 100].

September 30 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Francesca went this morning, the King went down to the station with them, and since his return he has been at work all day with the pen. He has been writing and writing and dropping the little leaves of paper from his small pad, around him on the floor. Most of the work was done with him sitting on the extreme edge of the bed.

September 4 Wednesday – In Tuxedo Park, N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to William Webster Ellsworth.

September 5 Thursday – In Tuxedo Park, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Clara, now at the Hotel Victoria, Boston.   

I, also, should have been disappointed dearheart, at your not coming, but that I am aware that there is no occasion to expect you until you arrive. And so while I knew you might come, & was strongly hoping you would, I was not really expecting it. Paine’s conundrum fits you as well as it fits me: “Why is Mr. Clemens’s mind like a time-table?”

“Because it is subject to change without notice.”

September 6 Friday – In his A.D. of Oct. 5, Sam wrote of having Dorothy Quick this week as a guest.

…we had her delightful society during seven days and nights. She is just eleven years old, and seems to be made of watch-springs and happiness. The child was never still a moment, when she wasn’t asleep, and she lit up this place like the sun. It was a tremendous week, and an uninterruptedly joyful one for us all. After she was gone, and silence and solitude had resumed their sway, we felt as if we had been through a storm in heaven.

September 7 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Dinner at the Deacons, and it was very lovely. I sat between Mr. Deacon and Mr. Condert, the latter is very interesting, and we bored each other to a nicety. But Mr. Deacon always has some good prosy interesting thing to talk about. He was telling me about Vernon Lee, and her extreme plainness and her delightfulness; and about her half brother Mr. Hamilton. He met them in Florence years ago, at a time when Hamilton was a great invalid; so great an invalid that the doctors could do no more for him.

September 8 Sunday – In Tuxedo Park, N.Y. Sam wrote his june-bug…bird of paradise aphorism to Dorothy Quick [MTP].

September 9 Monday – In Tuxedo Park, N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Samuel E. Moffett. “Mr. Clemens asks me to thank you for sending to Washington for the lists for him.It was a pity you missed him so frequently, but we shall be back in New York about the first of November, not before I believe” [MTP].

Sam's summer residence for 1907; from May 14 to June 7th, when he travels to England to receive an Honorary Doctorate from Oxford; returning again on July 23rd.

September 21st:  Sam departed Tuxedo Park for New York City and boarded the Kanawha, cruising to Jamestown for the Ter-Centennial (300th anniversary of the founding of the colony) and the Robert Fulton Day Ceremonies.  He returned to Tuxedo Park September 26th.

October 24th:  Same returns to his New York City Address.