February 17, 1906 Saturday
February 17 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam sent his autograph on a small card to an unidentified person [MTP #10492].

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Today Mr. Clemens said that ‘Poultney Bigelow’s father is trying to pin him to a square mile of this earth. Trying to have him settle on the old Bigelow estate for the summer. It’s somewhere up on the Hudson’” [MTP TS 31-32].
February 18, 1906 Sunday
February 18 Sunday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote verse to an unidentified person. A draft survives:

For your love has the power of the fabled purse
That wrought charms in the old romaunt
Who had it might live in a shack or worse
And feed on dreams & air dew & verse
Yet never could he know want [MTP].

Sam also wrote to daughter Clara in Atlantic City, N.J. referring to the President’s daughter, Clara’s illness and other matters.  
February 19, 1906 Monday

February 19 Monday – Govinier C. Hall for the Knife & Fork Club in Kansas City, Mo. wrote to Sam [MTP]. Note: the social club was formed on Nov.

February 20, 1906 Tuesday
February 20 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave. Sam directed Isabel Lyon to write to William McCutchan Morrison, Congo missionary, in Lexington, Va.: “I thank him very much for his letter, and I hope that the agitation of the Congo question will bear fruit. I think the promise looks good in England” [MTP].

Clemens’ A.D.   for this day: About Rear-Admiral Charles Wilkes–And meeting Anson Burlingame in Honolulu [AMT 1: 367-369].
February 21, 1906 Wednesday
February 21 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam added a PS to his Feb. 20 to Gertrude Natkin:

Mr. Powlison has been here, & he is a charming man. Of course he persuaded me. The date is March 4, 3.30 p.m., at the Majestic Theatre. You & your mother will be shown to the box, as per the order which I sent you, & you will find Miss Lyon & her mother there. Mr. P. has to provide a clergyman to furnish respectability, & I will take care of the rest of the show myself.
February 22, 1906 Thursday
February 22 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:
February 23, 1906 Friday
February 23 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:
February 24, 1906 Saturday

February 24 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to Frederick A. Duneka. “Saturday. Many thanks. The books have come. I am fully equipped for the voyage now. SL. Clemens” [MTP].  Note: since Sam was not planning any voyage, the reference may be rhetorical.

February 24–28, 1906 Wednesday

February 24–28 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam replied to the editor of the Saturday Evening Post that his contract with Harpers “doesn’t allow it. Besides, very busy with regular work” [MTP].

February 25, 1906 Sunday
February 25 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:
February 26, 1906 Monday

February 26 Monday – A telegram (not extant) came to Clemens from Hartford, announcing the death of Patrick McAleer [IVL TS 23]. Note: This was likely sent by Twichell. See IVL’s Feb. 27 entry.

Sam wrote to Joe Twichell: “Shall reach Hartford about two thirty today to attend Patrick’s funeral Wednesday. I desire to be a pall bearer” [MTP]. Note: likely this was a telegram. Also included in IVL’s TS 23.  

February 27, 1906 Tuesday
February 27 Tuesday – Sam went to Hartford; Katy Leary also went [Feb. 26 to Twichell; IVL below and Feb. 28].

Isabel Lyon’s journal:

Yesterday [Feb. 26] came a telegram from Hartford announcing Patrick’s death & when I told Mr. Clemens he was deeply moved. He was sitting in the Gladstone chair [see insert Gladstone chair] in the living room & after a moment he said “I must go to the funeral.” So this morning he went.
February 28, 1906 Wednesday
February 28 Wednesday –  In Hartford Sam was a pall-bearer at Patrick McAleer’s funeral.

William Dean Howells wrote from Atlantic City, N.J. to Sam.

No praise that I ever had for work of my own gave me such entire and perfect joy as your praise of Pilla’s poem. Of course your letter has gone straight to her, and she will know how to prize the words which are simply without price.
March 1906
March – Sam inscribed a copy of TS with an aphorism: “Let us save the to-morrows for work, Truly Yours Mark Twain, Mch/06” [MTP: City Book Auction catalogs 26 May 1945, Item 119].

Charles E. Dana wrote for the Contemporary Club in Phila. to invite Sam to their 20 anniversary dinner. They had chosen “American Humor” as the subject. Miss Agnes Repplier, (1855-1950) Philadelphia essayist known for her scholarship and humor, would give an address on the subject [MTP].
March 1, 1906 Thursday
March 1 Thursday – In Hartford, Sam luncheoned with friends assembled by Charles Hopkins Clark [Feb. 26 to Clark; ca. Mar. 10 to Clark]. F. Kaplan puts this at the Hartford Club and includes Joe Twichell [631]. Note: Clark wrote on Mar. 9 suggesting they split the bill for the lunch; Sam agreed.
March 2, 1906 Friday
March 2 Friday – Clara Clemens returned to Atlantic City; she would make another NY trip on Mar 13 to audition [Hill 122].

At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to Gertrude Natkin in N.Y.C., whom he now referred to as “Marjorie.”

Marjorie dear, Mr. [Charles F.] Powlison has sent tickets—which is very well; it simplifies things.

The house is made up of men, you see. Certainly this is a new kind of matinèe.
March 3, 1906 Saturday
March 3 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to Homer Croy, editor of the Missouri University’s yearbook the Savitar. Croy had sent Sam a copy of the 1905 yearbook which announced a proposal to dedicate the 1906 edition to Mark Twain. See insert 1906 Savitar.
March 4, 1906 Sunday
March 4 Sunday – At about 4 p.m. Sam spoke at the Majestic Theatre for the West Side Branch of the YMCA. Gertrude Natkin and her mother were in the audience. The New York Times, Mar. 5 p. 2, recorded the wild crush at the doors and also Sam’s speech.  

POLICE HUSTLE CROWD AWAITING MARK TWAIN

Bungle at the Majestic Theatre Angers Y. M. C. A. Men.

WOULDN’T OPEN THE DOORS
——— ——— ———
Mr. Clemens Gives Some Advice About the Treatment of Corporations and Talks About Gentlemen.
March 5, 1906 Monday
March 5 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to Alice M. Ditson (Mrs. Charles H. Ditson).

I am glad to have that speech; it has moved me, & also modified me, in some degree. I don’t feel the same passionate appetite for your dog that I felt that evening; & it is probably because I have just had my breakfast. I can’t really depend on my reforms; they are so likely to be inspirational & temporary; therefore for my sake & the dog’s, I think it will be better that one of us keep out of the way [MTP].
March 6, 1906 Tuesday

March 6 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to Grover Cleveland.

Grover Cleveland, Esq.
Ex-President.
Honored Sir:

March 7, 1906 Wednesday
March 7 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Robert K. Mackey, who was seeking autographs for his son’s set of Mark Twain books. Lyon wrote that if Mackey would leave the first volume Mr. Clemens would autograph it for him [MTP].

Sam also wrote to John F. Tremain of the Chemung County Society who had written on Dec. 9 conferring upon Mark Twain honorary membership in their society and inviting him to dine with them on Mar. 29. Sam thanked him for both but declined to attend due to other engagements [MTP].
March 8, 1906 Thursday
March 8 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam added to his Mar. 4 to Gertrude Natkin. He would finish the letter on Mar. 9

Marjorie, I’ve got the words! The words That rhyme. The rest is easy, because No. 3 doesn’t have to rhyme with anything. Observe:

Thursday afternoon.
===
TO THAT BONNY CHILD, MARJORIE.

Marjorie, Marjorie, listen to me—
Listen, you winsome witch:
Whomever you bless with your innocent love,
That person is passing rich.

===
March 8-11, 1906 Sunday

March 8-11 Sunday – During this period Sam replied to Ernest Carson Hunt (incoming not extant) that he had never written a book entitled, “How to be a gentleman” [MTP].

March 9, 1906 Friday
March 9 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam added to his Mar. 4 and Mar. 8 to Gertrude Natkin, who had telephoned him, perhaps before he completed the letter [Natkin Mar. 10]. Friday.

I knew I could do it, dear. By going without rest or food for a day & a night I have compressed the proper work of months into a single cataclysmal explosion. And so as you see, it is finished:

Rich, though he have not a grain of gold
Save that which is in his mouth,
Rich, though his silver be all on his head
And crusts for his craw be all his bread
March 10, 1906 Saturday

March 10 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote a postcard to Edwina L. Levy. “Oh, dear me, Miss Levy! I’ve ‘lifted’ this English girl’s post-card without noticing what I was doing. But I’ll send her a more recent photograph to make up for it” [MTP].

Subscribe to The Man in the White Suit: Day By Day