June 11 Friday - The New York Times ran a follow-up article, p.3 on the plagiarism flap over Sam’s work, “Is Shakespeare Dead?” datelined June 10, Baltimore:
TWAIN’S FOOTNOTE LOST.
Wrote One, He Says, Crediting Author
and Publisher of Borrowed Matter.
Special to The New York Times.
BALTIMORE, Md., June 10.—Referring to the charges of Plagiarism, in connection with his book, “Is Shakespeare Dead?” Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) today said:
June 12 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: After dinner tonight I spoke of one or two things mentioned in his brother’s manuscript, about how he, Mr. C., had shocked his mother by dancing the Schottisch until a late hour on board the boat of which he was pilot. He was taking his mother on a trip down to New Orleans. Then Mr.
June 12 Wednesday – H.H. Rogers replied from Vichy, France to Sam, likely to his May 29 from Tuxedo Park. He’d rec’d Sam’s letter and thought they would meet in London as he was also invited by Lancaster of Liverpool to the Pilgrim’s Luncheon. Rogers family’s plans were to go to Paris on June 19 and to London on June 23, then on to Liverpool on June 27 and sail from Queenstown the next day. He announced if Sam wished to return with them they’d be delighted: “The only essentials this time will be drunkenness, profanity and sodomy” [MTP].
June 12 Friday – Charles Hinckley Baker (b. 1864) wrote to Sam, sending his new book Life and Character of William Taylor Baker, President of the World’s Columbian Exposition and of the Chicago Board of Trade, by His Son (1908). Baker inscribed the book: “To Mr. Samuel L. Clemens / ‘Mark Twain’ / with the compliments and good / wishes of the author / Charles H. Baker / June 12th 1908.” Sam wrote on the front pastedown endpaper, “A valuable book, & capably constructed. A tribute from a son to his father which does honor to both. SLC June/08” [Gribben 40; MTP].
June 12 Saturday - In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote a notecard (2x3 inches), likely a gift enclosure, to Gertrude (probably Natkin): “Dear Gertrude I send you my love. / Mark Twain / June 12/09” [MTP: James Cummins catalog, No. 64, Item 19].
Charles T, Lark, assistant to John B. Stanchfield, attorney, wrote to Albert Bigelow Paine concerning the flight of the Ashcrofts on June 8:
So the soiled birds had flown.
June 13 Tuesday – In Dublin, N.H. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Katharine I. Harrison, asking her to transfer $2,000 from the Guaranty Trust to the Lincoln National Bank. She added, “Mr. Clemens is well” [MTP].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Jean wasn’t well today. She went down to her study, but came back so weary and dazed. Today the Thayers lunched here and Mr. Clemens and Mrs. Thayer talked of the “Quaker City” for a long time. Did Mrs. Thayer know anything about Mrs. Fairbanks?” [MTP TS 65].
June 13 Thursday – After mailing his letter of the prior day to Liverpool and learning that Sam went to London, not Liverpool, H.H. Rogers wrote again from Vichy, France, essentially repeating his news and plans of the prior letter, signing “Admiral” [MTHHR 628].
Isabel Lyon’s journal summary: Lyon went to Redding but refused to allow a female to drive her from Branchville to the new house site, as she’d been in two accidents prior with female drivers. Finally a male was there to drive her:
June 13 Saturday – G.E. Stechert & Co., books, NYC wrote to Sam.
June 13 Sunday - According to Sam’s guestbook entry on the page ending May 4, this was the day it was discovered that the Ashcrofts had sailed for England on June 8. Sam’s note claims they did so after promising Stanchfield they would wait for his investigation to be completed. See May 4 entry.
June 14 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “The microbe revision goes on and Mr. Clemens gives the sapient results to us” [MTP TS 65].
F.P. Keppel for Columbia University sent Sam a printed invitation to be a guest at the 151 Commencement, Wednesday June 14, 11 a.m. A place would be reserved for him in the Academic Procession [MTP].
June 14 Friday – On board the Minneapolis en route to England Sam wrote an aphorism for German cartoonist Peter Richards, who was returning to Berlin after working for various US newspapers for two decades: “Taking the pledge will not make bad liquor good, but it will improve it. / Truly Yours / Mark Twain / For / Mr. Richards / June 14/07.” [MTP]. Note: see June 16 for more on Richards.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: All day I have been thinking about the little Redding house, and it is a good thing again to have something to take my mind away from loneliness.
June 14 Sunday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to daughter Jean (incoming not extant) at Eastern Point in Gloucester, Mass. He was planning a visit to Gloucester.
The time is drawing near, dear Jean, & I shall be glad to start. Miss Lyon has been hard at work up there among the workman for the past 3 days, & it is now almost definitely settled that next Thursday is my date for moving into the house. There has been a whole world of work to do, but I have escaped it all from the start (a year ago) to the finish.
June 14 Monday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to an unidentified man.
June 15 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Headache (?) not sure.It is summer, supreme summer with heat that glows and glorifies.
Today Mr. Clemens couldn’t write. He’s been tiring himself, and indigestion follows with a brain fog—so he spent most of the day loafing on the porch, reading and smoking [MTP TS 65-66].
Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Today Mr. Clemens began to read the Revision of the microbe Story” [MTP TS 21].
June 15 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:
June 15 Saturday – On board the Minneapolis en route to England Sam gave a reading from his Autobiography MS, though it is not known just what he read [Fatout, MT Speaking 676]. Written across the top of the second and third pages of a concert program held in the saloon in aid of the Seaman’s Orphanage at 8:30 p.m.: “Please tell the story of the twins, one got drunk and affected the other” [MTP]. Note: Source gives this as to Carlotta Welles.
June 15 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to the June 14 from Lilian W. Aldrich.
June 15 Tuesday - James B. Shropshire wrote a fan appreciation letter from Brooklyn to Sam. His quill was quite worn out [MTP].
June 16 Friday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam replied to the June 15 from Frederick A. Duneka.
June 16 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: It’s a hot Sunday night and I’m sitting in Santa’s music room. The sounds from the streets would make one think of a terrible carnival; for the automobiles whirl along with toots and siren calls and trumpettings and now there is a motorcycle zipping down toward Washington Square and small boys are making whistles of grass blades and as I glance out of the window couples—and couples—forever saunter past. It is I alone who sit companionless [MTP TS 70].
June 16 Tuesday – Ferris Greenslet for the Aldrich Memorial Museum wrote to Sam about his train connections from Boston to Portsmouth on June 30—even the 10 o’clock train would suffice [MTP].