February 2 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s Journal: “Colonel Harvey is here. Mr. Clemens creeps about the house a little, but mostly he stays in bed. Mother comes over every day to sit in my little warm room. Bambino Bronchitis Clemens grows ever better as a cat” [MTP: TS 39]. Note: “Bambino” for short.
Isabel Lyon’s journal #2: “Miss Clemens is now well enough to read. I sent down for Plato and the Iliad & Byron. She has gained 5 ½ pounds, and is allowed to sit up a little while each day” [MTP TS 4].
February 2 Saturday – Albert Bigelow Paine gave a private luncheon at the Players Club for Clemens and Eugene Fitch Ware, who wrote poetry under the name “Ironquill.” Also at the luncheon were Peter Dunne (“Mr. Dooley”), and Robert J. Collier. Paine notes that Sam had “long been familiar” with Ware’s poetry, which had a “distinctly ‘Western’ feeling….“There was in his work that same spirit of Americanism and humor and humanity that is found in Mark Twain’s writings….” [MTB 1374]. Note: see Dec. 1 incoming from Ware.
February 2 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Stevenson makes Gilbert in Urir falter mislon say he’d ‘had great gale of prayer upon my spirit’—& it’s a perfect expression” [MTP: IVL TS 17].
James D. Macnab wrote on Plainfield High School, NJ notepaper to ask Sam “the title of the composition and its location which contains the rhyme: ‘Punch, brother, punch, punch with care” [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote on the letter, “Answd. Feb. 5, ‘08”
February 2 Tuesday — John W. Davis for NY Education Dept. wrote to ask Sam to use an excerpt from TA for a reader he was preparing for use in public schools [MTP].
James Ephraim McGirt, “a New Negro Poet” wrote from Phila. to ask Sam for “an expression...in regards to the merits of” his work. A flyer with McGirt’s photo is in the file [MTP].
February 2 Wednesday — Maude Jordan wrote from London to remind Sam of her letter and photos send for autograph and had not heard back [MTP]. Note: ABP: “Mr. Clemens is not in America & is not expected before May—”
Florence Rice Knox wrote “In the Suez Canal” (most certainly on a vessel) to offer condolences [MTP].
Los Angeles Saddle Club per J.H. Coker wrote to ask for Sam’s likeness to frame for their library wall [MTP].
February 2-6 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam gave instructions to Isabel Lyon to reply to the Jan. 23 from John C.G. Cumming in Scotland and “Thank him for the cheese letter” [MTP].
February 20 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to John Y. MacAlister.
February 20 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to the Feb. 19 of Robert Fulton Cutting and Others. Declining an invitation sent on Feb. 19: “I do not go out this winter when I can avoid it” [MTP].
Sam also replied to the Jan. 17 from George Iles.
February 20 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Dorothy Quick in Plainfield, N.J.
February 20 Saturday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Margaret Blackmer.
Attention, you dear little tyke!
You will have a long vacation at Easter; can’t you & your mother spend it with us? I do hope so. When Ashcroft-Benares goes to New York Tuesday, I want him to catch your mother on the telephone & discuss the matter with her. / With lots of love [MTP; MTAg 251].
February 20 Sunday — In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote to Katy Leary.
Dear Katie: / I enclose page 1 of a letter just received from Mrs. Ossip. It troubles me because she seems to have gotten the impression (the superstition), that your authority as housekeeper is not supreme. But it is supreme, There is no housekeeper but you. No one but you has anything to do with the housekeeping. No one but you can hire or discharge a house-servant, or give to a house-servant an order not proper for a guest to give.
February 21 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam inscribed a portrait drawing of himself to Susan Crane: “Feb. 21/05 / To Susy Crane / the dearly beloved—from / ‘The Holy Samuel.’” [MTP].
February 21 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Jean in Katonah, N.Y.
Jean dear, Ashcroft’s people have added another spiral-pin device: it is to secure jewels in the hair without having to wire them in, as at present. The next time Anna comes down, I want her to remember to ask us for one of these & carry it to you.
February 21 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote a letter of introduction to Albert Bigelow Paine for Joe Goodman [MTP: Am. Art Assoc-Anderson Galleries catalogs, 11-12 Nov. 1937, No. 4346, Item 88]. Note: Paine would travel in the West gathering information for the Mark Twain biography.
February 21 Sunday — In Redding, Conn., Ralph W. Ashcroft wrote for Sam to prof. Archibald Henderson, University of N. Carolina, Chapel Hill. “Dear Dr Henderson: / We spell it: ‘UMPAWAUG’—not ‘Umpawag, as you had it” [MTP]. Note: Umpawaug, named after Indians who deeded land in 1686; a district, and road in Redding, Conn. Also a cemetery, across the road from the original Mark Twain Library, which began in a chapel.
February 21 Monday — In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote to Julia Langdon Loomis (Mrs. Edward E. Loomis)
Julie dear, bless your heart it was a pleasure to serve Jervis, not a trouble. Think what he & Edward are doing for me & mine, I don’t forget it, & I am very grateful for it.
February 22 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal #2: “Dr. Quintard called & talked with Mr. Clemens. Mrs. Crane & Jean lunched with Mrs. Day / After Mr. Clemens came home he finished reading the Joan of Arc play” [MTP TS 5-6]. Note: George Porter’s play, The Maid, A Drama in Five Acts (1904) [Gribben 554].
February 22 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote instructions and a draft for Isabel Lyon to use to reply to Laura M. Dake (Laura Wright), who had written on Feb. 12 and 16.
February 22 Saturday – Sam, Isabel V. Lyon, H.H. Rogers, and William Evarts Benjamin sailed again for Bermuda. Rogers brought along his valet. Lyon noted in her journal that “Mr. Rogers came feebly onto the boat, a sick sick man” [MTHHR 645n1; D. Hoffman 102].
In his A.D. of Feb. 19, Sam had said:
February 22 Tuesday — In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam added to his Feb. 21 to daughter Clara,
February 23? – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C., Isabel V. Lyon replied for Sam to Erving Winslow’s Feb. 21 that he was recovering from a long illness and had no objection to being named as vice president of the Anti-Imperialist League if it wouldn’t “entail active support on his part” [MTP].