The Man in the White Suit: Day By Day

February 5 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal #2: “Mr. Johnson called this afternoon” [MTP TS 4]. Note: likely Robert Underwood Johnson.

February 5 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam replied to William A. Caldwell (incoming not extant) who evidently had asked of something Sam spoke of in a recent talk; was it an example of “thought-transferrence”? No, it was simply an old maxim of his written in London ten years before that he’d made one of his texts in his speech. “The idea is pretty mouldy & commonplace. There isn’t anybody alive (or dead) who hasn’t used it from one to sixty times” [MTP].

February 5 Tuesday – The New York Times, p.9 ran this squib:

Mark Twain has consented to take part in the benefit for the Keats-Shelley Memorial in Rome, Italy, that is to be given at the Waldorf-Astoria on the afternoon of Feb. 14. He will read Shelley’s “Ode to a Skylark.”

Ross Clark wrote from Portland, Ore. to ask if Sam had written a book titled Through Dust and Foam. If so, where could he get a copy? [MTP]. Note: Lyon on letter: ‘Answd Mch 13, ‘07”; the 1876 book was written by R. Hook and G.D. Hook.

February 5 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:  “Mother & I went to see Margaret Illington [Frohman] in The Thief. She was very fine & we went to talk to the dear impulsive creature after the play. Dan Frohman tried to find a cab for us, for ours didn’t stay for us & so we had to get home by trams in a driving snow storm” [MTP: IVL TS 17].

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 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Willam Dean Howells, Finley Peter Dunne, and George B. Harvey. He wanted to form “The Damned Human Race Club”: The Human Race will meet at the above address on St. Valentine’s  Feb. 15 at 1.15 p.m. This club consists of 4 members—to-wit:

Dooley [Peter Dunne]

Howells

Harvey

Clemens

Officers:

President pro tem—Clemens

Invitation Committee—Harvey

February 6 Thursday – In the evening, the S.S. Bermudian arrived in N.Y.C. with Sam and Ashcroft [Feb. 8 to Nunnally].

Isabel Lyon’s journal:  “The Bermudian is just slipping up along side the dock” (here at 8:15) and “the gang plank will be laid in minute” the man at the telephone at Pier 47 tells me.

February 6 Saturday — Sam’s new guestbook:

February 6 Sunday — Albert Bigelow Paine wrote from Redding to Clemens:

February 6 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Isabel V. Lyon wrote to Harriet E. Whitmore (Mrs. Franklin G. Whitmore).

This is just a hasty little note to tell you that Katie is planning to run up to Hartford on Thursday of this week to look after and bring away the boxes in the Safety Deposit vaults. If you have the keys will you kindly give them to M . Whitmore so that Katie can get them from his office?

February 7 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Mr. Reeves was here this morning to talk over the renting of the house in Vermont” [MTP TS 4].

William Evarts Benjamin wrote to Sam, enclosing a check for $1,000 from Title, Guarantee & Trust Co., on the Tarrytown property matters, and thought the prospects bright for getting back another $500 [MTP]. Note: monies were held in escrow to insure clear title; notably, removal of the Trolley Co.’s encroachment.

February 7 Wednesday – The New York Times, Feb. 8, reported on another speech by Mark Twain, this one at a dinner of the American branch of the Dickens Fellowship, which was celebrating the 94 anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. Sam did not mention Dickens in his speech. See also Fatout, MT Speaking 482-4.

TWAIN ON ROCKEFELLER, JR.
———
He’s All Right, but as to His Knowledge of Veracity—Well!

February 7 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Santa home ill” [MTP TS 27]. Note: “Santa” was Clara.

Two copies of Christian Science were deposited with the copyright office [Hirst, “A Note on the Text” Afterword materials p.13, Oxford ed. 1996].  

February 7 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam sent a reminder invitation to Mary B. Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers, Jr.) to attend the “Doe-Luncheon” at 1 p.m. Feb. 11 [MTP].

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 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam replied to a not extant from David A. Munro, possibly the galley sheets mentioned below in Lyons journal #2 entry.

February 8 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to Gertrude Natkin.

February 8 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Samuel E. Moffett in Mt. Vernon, N.Y. (only the envelope survives) [MTP].

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Gabrilowitsch here. / Gilders – Tom Janvier – Drake Collection” [MTP TS 27]. Note: Thomas Allibone Janvier.

Frederick Palmer wrote a card (delivered not mailed) to Miss Lyon and Sam, thanking for the consent for Sam to be at the dinner at the Brevoort Hotel on Monday, Feb. 11 [MTP].

February 8 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frances Nunnally.

Francesca dear, I (and Ashcroft) got back from Bermuda night before last, after a pleasant absence of 13 days. I’ve brought you a Bermuda jewel & Miss Lyon will presently dispatch it to you when Ashcroft sends it to the house. It is decorated with an image of Bermuda’s pride, the angel-fish. It is utilitarian—this jim crack. I think it’s a hairpin, but other authorities think it’s a safety.

February 8 Monday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote “the newest postcard” (“Posing for Admiration”) to daughter Jean.

February 8-11 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to the Feb. 4 of John E. Fellers.

You will be able to comment upon the book more intelligently after you’ve read it, at present you dont seem to know any useful thing about it. Of the bushel of letters from Commentators on the book that have reached me not one of them has read the book— Consequently not one of them is entitled to have an opinion [MTP].  

February 9 Thursday – Lucy Page Whitehead wrote to Sam on a small black-bordered card. “Don’t you think it would do you good to come to Washington for the Inauguration?” [MTP].

On or after this day at 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C., Isabel V. Lyon replied for Sam to Lucy Page Whitehead. Sam declined to go to Washington for the inauguration, pleading slow recovery to his two-month long illness [MTP].

Isabel also wrote to Harriet E. Whitmore.