June 9 Friday – The family left Broadstairs, England, and returned to the Prince of Wales Hotel in London. Sam wrote two notes to Chatto & Windus, one perhaps shortly after this day. The first short note asked if they couldn’t get it in the papers that “Mrs. Clemens & 2 daughters are with me? It is very awkward, on some accounts, that this is not known.” In the second note he wrote: “After reflection, Mrs. Clemens prefers that no newspaper mention be made of the family’s presence in town” [MTP].
June 10 Saturday – At the Prince of Wales Hotel in London, Sam wrote to Douglas B. Sladen.
June 11 Sunday – At the Prince of Wales Hotel in London, England, Sam wrote a follow-up to Douglas B. Sladen.
“Did I tell you, the other night at the Authors, that this family (including me if I can manage it) are expecting to go to Lambeth Palace on the 22d at 3 p.m.? (Date and hour correct?) Did I tell you that, or have I dreamed it?” [MTP]. Note: Sam did have this appointment in his notebook.
June 12 Monday – Mark Twain gave a dinner speech at the Authors Club, London. The New York Times, June 13, p.7 covered the June 12 event:
Mark Twain Speaks of Kipling
June 13 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Garland, Tues. 4 p.m.” ;“Goerz, 8 oclock–Garland” [NB 40 TS 55]. Note: likely Hannibal Hamlin Garland.
At the Prince of Wales Hotel, London, Sam also replied to John Y. MacAlister “That would be very pleasant Would Sunday the 25th do? I’m going to the photographer tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. Ys…” [MTP]. Sam wrote on the env. “Has a date been appointed for the evening with the Colquhoun Club?”
June 14 Wednesday – From Sam’s note to MacAlister of June 13, it is shown that he made a morning stop at a Henry Van der Weyde (1838-1924) photographer. Russell & Sons photographers also made photos of him about this time.
June 15 Thursday – For a little joke, Sam sent his daughter Clara at least four picture -postcards (that many survive) of the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and The Guildhall. He wrote the following “lessons” on them respectively, with fanciful signatures:
No, Oom Paul has never been the head of the Irish party. You are mistaking him for the late Mr. Parnell / Faithfully Yours / H. Campbell-Bannerman.
June 16 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Friday, 16. Whitefriars. Dinner. & luncheon with Choate at 2” [NB 40 TS 56].
Note: the New York Times, June 17, p.6, ran the following:
DINNER TO MARK TWAIN
Friendly Feeling Between England and America the Keynote of Speeches at the Hotel Cecil, London.
June 17 Saturday – In London, England, Livy wrote to Bram Stoker.
Thank you so much for the box at the Lyceum which has safely reached me. I’m greatly antisapating next Monday evening. / I had such a pleasant time with you on Thursday [MTP].
June 18 Sunday – In London, England, Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus to ask what kind of a club the Royal Societies Club was, at 63 St. James Street, as he’d been invited on June 28 to their annual dinner [MTP]. Note— from their statement of purpose:
June 19 Monday – In the evening Sam and Livy attended the Lyceum Theatre, compliments of Bram Stoker [June 17 Livy to Stoker].
June 20 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook entry: “Bryce lunch 1.45 54 Portland Place / American Citizen (Duke of York [)]” [NB 40 TS 56]. Note: James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce (1838-1922), British historian, jurist, statesman, at this time a Liberal member of the House of Commons; he would be the British Ambassador to the US (1907-1913); see MTB 1085. Bryce invited Sam and Livy on June 14.
June 21 Wednesday – In London, England, Sam wrote to an unidentified man that he would “look in,” if he could “manage it before leaving town” [MTP].
June 22 Thursday – In London, England, Sam wrote to Arthur Spurgeon declining an invitation (unspecified; text not available) [MTP: MS: AAA Jan. 5, 1927].
Sam also inscribed a copy of More Tramps Abroad, [FE]: “If we try, we can easily learn to endure adversity.
Another man’s, I mean. / Mark Twain” [MTP].
June 23 Friday – The Clemens family had decided to go to Sanna, Sweden to pursue treatments for daughter Jean from famous osteopath, Jonas Henrick Kellgren
Sam purchased tickets on this day for the family to depart in a fortnight
Sam’s notebook: “Görtz [Goerz] the Spalding[s], 9 Harley Gardens SW” [NB 40 TS 56].
June 24 Saturday – Frank N. Doubleday and Edward W. Bok stopped by Sam’s hotel in the morning with a cable from J. Henry Harper wanting to publish a 75 cent edition of Tom Sawyer. He had no objections but referred him to H.H. Rogers [June 25 to Rogers; Aug. 3 to Rogers mentions Bok was along]. , At the Prince of Wales Hotel in London, England, Sam wrote to William Knight. (1837-1916).
June 25 Sunday – At the Prince of Wales Hotel in London, England, Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers, heading it “Prince of Wales Hell of a Hotel”:
June 26 Monday – Samuel E. Moffett for the N.Y. Journal wrote to Sam, enclosing a printed bio sketch of Mark Twain. Moffett apologized for the delay on revisions; some question had arisen as to the proper length. He discussed Twain’s ancestor research on Gregory Clement and on the Lambtons. Moffett felt the bio still seemed very “short and bald” and “a lot more personal details ought to be worked in, but Mr.
June 27 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Dine with Mr. White (where?)” [NB 40 TS 57]. Note: likely Frank Marshall White, journalist.
Leila Gittings wrote from Upper Falls, Maryland to Livy, seeing by the papers that the Clemens family had left Vienna and were in London. Was that preliminary to returning to America? [MTP].
June 28 Wednesday – In London, England Sam wrote a PS to his telegram (not extant) to Mr. Massee (possibly George Edward Massee (1850-1917), principal assistant at Kew Gardens and internationally known scientist—specifically a mycologist and lichenologist—and President of the British Myological Society from 1850-1917) [MTP]. Note: this mis-dated in file as 1907; It may also be 1900.
June 29 Thursday – In London, Clara Clemens wrote for her father to Bram Stoker that the family’s plans had changed, and they were not able to make the trip back to America with the Stokers [MTP].
Sam’s notebook: “Thursday, New Vagabonds at King’s Hall, Holborn Restaurant, 7 for 7.30” [NB 40 TS 57]. Note: see below:
Fatout writes of Sam’s speech at the New Vagabonds Club, followed by some excerpts:
June 30 Friday – In London, Livy wrote for Sam to Andrew Chatto, asking details for a watch she’d rec’d and wanted to exchange for a fancier case. She also wanted to enclose a letter from Mr. Blair, which Sam wanted sent. Sam had been trying for two days to get down to see Chatto and expected to go in the morning, but thought Chatto might like to see the letter and consider it first [MTP].
Sam’s notebook: “Tea—Max O’Rell’s. Stanleys. 8 Acacia Road, N.W” [NB 40 TS 57].
July – Anne E. Keeling’s article, “American Humour: Mark Twain,” ran in the London Quarterly Review, p.147-62. Tenney: “(Source: Asselineau (1954), No. 18; reprinted in Anderson (1971), pp. 221-27.) Discusses the joking in IA, the irreverence in CY, the indictment of slavery in PW and FE, calling MT ‘this sturdy foe of oppression and injustice, this lover of the heroic and the magnanimous…who still continues to provide clean, wholesome food for laughter, under the familiar style of Mark Twain’” [30-1].
July 1 Saturday – In London, England, Sam replied to Francis H. Skrine (Skrine’s not extant), after a visit proved the Skrine’s were not home.
Alas, we shall then be far out on the briny deep, & between this & then I see no chance for us to get together, on account of interfering engagements; but we shall be back by October, & then we shan’t have any difficulty about managing it. We were hoping to catch you at home today & say good-bye, but luck was against us—you were out [MTP].
July 2 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Sun [July] 2—Sunday. Mrs. Aklom” [NB 40 TS 57]. )
The New York Times, p. 17 ran a notice about the special English edition of Mark Twain’s works:
LITERARY EXODUS FROM LONDON
Publishing Season is Over—New Edition of Mark Twain’s Works.