June 29 Tuesday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Helen Keller.
The Man in the White Suit: Day By Day
June 3 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: These days I am carried away by Margaret Oglevie [sic Ogilvy]. Barrie will never approach that book again. Late evenings after Mr. Clemens and Jean have gone to their rooms I sit before the open fire and read in the room steeped in tobacco smoke, such good contenting smoke. You want to cry in pain over the beauty of this living [MTP TS 62]. Note: Margaret Ogilvy (1896) by Sir James M. Barrie, was a rather maudlin tribute to his mother, Margaret Ogilvy.
June 3 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:
The morning bed-talks are vastly interesting. I go into Mr. Clemens’s room a little before 9, after he has finished his breakfast. I make a good audience for him to talk against in order to get himself into the dictating swing. The day has passed long since when he discovered he couldn’t sting me by his tirades against the superstitions of the church & his disgust at those who worship “a tarbaby of a Jesus Christ” or the “dangling carcass of a virgin”, so he lets his speech flow freely on those subjects.
The morning bed-talks are vastly interesting. I go into Mr. Clemens’s room a little before 9, after he has finished his breakfast. I make a good audience for him to talk against in order to get himself into the dictating swing. The day has passed long since when he discovered he couldn’t sting me by his tirades against the superstitions of the church & his disgust at those who worship “a tarbaby of a Jesus Christ” or the “dangling carcass of a virgin”, so he lets his speech flow freely on those subjects.
June 3 Monday – In Tuxedo Park, N.Y. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Chatto & Windus. “M . Clemens asks me to write for him & say that he must refer you to the London Harpers, and say to them that he has no objection himself to the cheaper edition of the three books you mention; but that as he is a sort of partner of the Harpers, he cannot give his consent without consulting them” [MTP].
Sam also wrote an invitation to H.H. Rogers, Jr. and Mary B. Rogers, also in Tuxedo Park, N.Y.
June 3 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Clara.
Well, Clärchen dear, I have your dear letter from ship board saying what fine shape you are in: also there are cablegrams whereby we know you sang twice last Saturday; & now I am waiting for particulars by mail. It seems a good while to wait, too.
June 3 Thursday — Ralph W. Ashcroft wrote a registered letter to Sam, acknowledging the revocation of the Nov. 14, 1908 power of attorney, which was recorded by John N. Nickerson on this day (see entry). He added:
June 30 Friday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to Hamlin Garland.
June 30 Saturday – In Fairhaven, Mass. Sam rose at 5 a.m. and after luncheon “began to play billiards & kept it up until a quarter past 2 this morning [July 1]” [July 1 to Jean].
Gertrude Natkin’s diary: “On June 30, Mr. Clemens sent me Eve’s Diary with his autograph” [MTAq 30].
June 30 Sunday – At Brown’s Hotel In London Sam wrote to daughter Jean in Katonah, N.Y.
June 30 Tuesday – In the morning, Sam and Paine traveled to Portsmouth, N.H. for the dedication of the Thomas Bailey Aldrich Memorial Museum, an event staged by Lillian Aldrich.
The New York Times, July 1, p. 16 covered the event:
MEMORIAL TO T. B. ALDRICH
———
Notable Speakers at Opening of Poet’s Home as Museum.
June 30 Wednesday — In Redding, Conn, Sam wrote to Frederick A. Dumeka who had forwarded a letter from Granville George Greenwood to Greenwood’s publisher, John Lane, listing three errors Sam had made in “Is Shakespeare Dead?”
June 4 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Today Jean and I drove along a lot of lovely highways and byways. Patrick’s horse is so nice to drive behind, and gives you only pleasurable emotions, doesn’t drive your heart into your throat by shying at nothing. We found lots of flowers and saw many birds too, and when we came home at 5 we found Mr. Clemens lying on the long couch, all cuddled up in his dressing gown for there wasn’t any fire in the room. Then after tea we had music. It is so good to be alive, and so alive [MTP TS 63].
June 4 Monday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam wrote to Frederick A. Duneka.
I find that this “Library of Humor” is not the one which was compiled by me, but is a new book, in whose compilation I have had no part.Also, I find that this book is being actually “published” & its sale pushed.
Also I find that it is not a cheap book, “with no money in it for either of us,” but is cloth-bound & higher priced than my own book.
I find that this “Library of Humor” is not the one which was compiled by me, but is a new book, in whose compilation I have had no part.Also, I find that this book is being actually “published” & its sale pushed.
Also I find that it is not a cheap book, “with no money in it for either of us,” but is cloth-bound & higher priced than my own book.
June 4 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: We dined with the Ronalds’s tonight. She was like a pretty marquise, and it was nice to fly along home in the electric jigger. The King was in behind a bank of green stuff and so I couldn’t see him at all, but he wore his white clothes, and was beautiful to look upon.
I came home very much exhausted and threw myself on the bed in my evening gown to read a letter from Mother…[MTP TS 64].
June 4 Thursday – Frederick A. Duneka for Harper & Brothers wrote offering a rather humorous reply to Twain’s of the previous day:
June 4 Friday - In Redding, Conn, Sam wrote a postcard (picturing Stormfield) to Dorothy Quick.
“Dorothy Dear, it is too bad, but I shall be in Baltimore from the 8th to the 12th, This is an engagement I made with Francesca several months ago—she graduates on the 10 th of June. “It is a nice photo—thank you, dear, with lots of love—S L C” [MTP; MTAq 259].
Sam gave this day as the day the Ashcrofts left Redding for New York and Europe:
June 5 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Today is the anniversary of the great tragedy of this family. Sunday evening after that long day with Mother in Florence and after a sweet chat with Santissima [Clara], Mrs. Clemens’s light went out—now I can see Mr. Clemens’s face when I flew into his room and told him to go to Mrs. Clemens’s room. “Is it an alarm?” he said—but I didn’t know, they only told me to run and get him [MTP TS 63].
June 5 Tuesday – Marguerite Merington wrote to Sam. “To-morrow –Wed. June 6, at four, Dr. Douglas Hyde, President of the Gaelic League and Mrs Hyde are coming to me at dear Ruth McEnery Stuart’s with whom I am staying. They would so greatly like to see you—Mrs Stuart joins me in warmly hoping that you and the Misses Clemens will come” [MTP].
June 5 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Tonight we dined at the Mortimers in a very beautiful house, 16 of us. I sat between Dr. Rushmore and Mr. Pell, and had a very good time. They have wonderful pewter there and great stone carved fireplaces. It was a very formal dinner, and so the King wore black.
Tomorrow we start for N.Y. [MTP TS 65]. Note: Edward C. Rushmore. The Tuxedo Club 1908 book lists five men named Pell; Herbert C. Pell as a founder of the Club.
June 5 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Jean, at Eastern Point in Gloucester, Mass.
Dear Jean, consound the well-intending dog! And certainly he had good intentions, & a heroic spirit. The great big majority of our race are away below him in this regard, & not worthy to untie his shoe-latchets.
Miss Lyon is slaving away at the new house, getting it ready. She will make an admirable job of it if she survives.
June 5 Saturday — In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to a non-extant letter from James Beauchamp (“Champ”) Clark, House of Representatives, Washington.
Dear Champ Clark: / Is the new copyright law acceptable to me? Emphatically, yes! Clark, it is the only sane, & clearly-defined, & just & righteous copyright law that has ever existed in the United States. Whosoever will compare it with its predecessors will have no trouble in arriving at this decision.
June 6 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Wrote Mr. Duneka not to trouble Mr. Howells about the book or Mark Twain letters. C.C. & J.L.C. want to collect & compile the letters” [MTP TS 20].
writes of Clemens’ attempt to persuade Howells to take on his biography:
June 6 Wednesday – In Dublin, N.H. Sam sent a telegram to H.H. Rogers. “Yes still am investor to amount formaly mentioned Come up here both of you and I will return with you if properly invested”
Sam then wrote Rogers a letter:
I’ve been sending you a line by telegraph.
Sam then wrote Rogers a letter:
I’ve been sending you a line by telegraph.
June 6 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Today we came into town to begin the preparations for England. It’s a good thing that Ashcroft can go with him, but it has been making me heart- sick I think. I drifted into a headache and staggered about the house, but went down to dinner. Mr. Wark was here, and Mr. Paine, and after dinner the King led the way at once to the billiard room. I sat with those 2 sweet children for awhile and they gave me a ring, a lapis lazuli, in a quaint setting.
June 6 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frances Nunnally.
You are a very dear & sweet Francesca to answer so promptly, & you so heavy-laden with work, you poor little chap! But soon you’ll be at sea, & that will be fine & restful. I wish I could go with you.
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