July 23 Thursday – George M. Robinson, Clara’s tour manager, wrote to Isabel Lyon c/o Clemens: “Will you kindly send me a check for $75., in accordance with our understanding. I am sending out two thousand circulars with letters enclosed. Will send you a copy of the circular to-morrow. I think it a vast improvement on last year’s issue” [MTP].
July 24 Friday – Sam, Ralph Ashcroft, and Zoheth S. Freeman played billiards from 9:30 p.m. till after midnight [July 27 to Quick]. Note: Freeman, at this time Vice-President of Liberty National Bank, N.Y. Along with Jervis Langdon II, and Edward Loomis, Freeman would be an executor to Sam’s estate.
Sam’s new guestbook:
Name Address Date Remarks
Mrs. Grace Hill Freeman (“Sheba”) New York July 24-26
Z.S. Freeman (her property) “ “
July 25 Saturday – Sam sent a brief note to Miss Dorothy Butes, who was sailing home to England: “Goodbye you dear child, and a happy voyage / SL Clemens” [MTAq 188].
Mary Desha wrote from Washington, D.C. anxious to “establish kinship” to Clemens through her great grandmother Katherine Montgomery. A photo of a woman is in the file [MTP].
Note: on the letter, but not by IVL: “ans’d 9/7”
John M. Howells wrote from Onteora Park, NY to Sam.
July 26 Sunday – Jean Clemens’ 28th birthday.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: Today when the King and Sheba and Zoe [Mr. & Mrs. Zoheth Freeman] were driving and passed a cemetery, Sheba said that the King reverently lifted his hat from his beautiful head and after a moment Sheba reached over and touched his beautiful hand in sympathy.
July 27 Monday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Dorothy Quick.
Dorothy dear, I miss you. It seems a long time since you were here. Louise has been here once, for a few minutes, & we have had a five minutes’ glimpse of Frances; Frances [Paine] went back home to her father’s house the day you went away.
July 28 Tuesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to daughter Jean at Eastern Point in Gloucester, Mass.
July 29 Wednesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Frances Nunnally in London, England.
Dear Francesca—
Your letter arrived to-day with picture of Interlaken. What an architectural transformation! There’s nothing of the former Interlaken left but the Jûngfraû.
I am sorry you did not catch my daughter in; & she was sorry, too. She was more fortunate with Dorothy Butes, who found her at home.
July 30 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to daughter Clara.
I place with this a copy of a letter of today’s date which I have just written to Colonel Harvey.
July 31 Friday – Sam’s guestbook:
Name Address Date Remarks
Harriet E.G. Whitmore Hartford, Conn ) July 31 – Aug 3
Franklin G. Whitmore “ “ )
Note: in the original guestbook, Franklin Whitmore was dated as Aug. 2 [Mac Donnall TS].
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “The Whitmores and Ashcroft arrived this afternoon” [MTP: IVL TS 55].
August – In Redding, Conn. Sam inscribed a photo of him seated (by Underwood & Underwood) with “best wishes” and the month/year to Jeannette Cholmeley-Jones [MTP].
Sam also inscribed a copy of JA to Mrs. Niehaus: “Truly Yours / Mark Twain / To Mrs. Niehaus, / the dear & valued friend of my daughter Jean—with my gratitude. / SL Clemens / August, 1908” [MTP].
August 1908 to February 1909 — Sometime during this period Albert I. Frye wrote from Brooklyn, NY to inquire of Sam a “less expensive method to insure copyright” [MTP]. Note: In the file a note by the MTP staff: “Since MLH, Mary L. Howden, is SLC’s stenographer from Aug 1908 to Feb 1909, this letter must have been written during that time”; the same note is in several letter files.
August 1 Saturday – Samuel E. Moffett, Sam’s nephew and longtime booster, “drowned in the surf off the Jersey beach,” while his wife and children (Anita Moffett, 17 and Francis Clemens Moffat, 13) watched from shore. He was 47. At the time of his death he was an editor of Collier’s Weekly [MTHHR 651n1; NY Times Aug. 2, 1908 p.1]. Note: The Times gives Normandie-By-The-Sea (now Normandy Beach, N.J. just sount of Pt. Pleasant). See Aug. 6 to Emilie R. Rogers. The New York Times reported the tragedy on the front page of its Aug. 2 issue:
August 2 Sunday– In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Charles M. Fairbanks.
Dear Charley— / Will you please entrust temporarily to the hands of the bearer, Mr. W. R. Ashcroft, such of my old letters and original (unpublished) MSS as your mother left in the family’s possession, so that he may have copies made of them for me. I have empowered Clara to publish a book of my letters for her bread-&-butter’s sake, (after my death.) / Sincerely Yours [MTP].
August 3 Monday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Dorothy Sturgis.
Dear Dorothy: /Good! Then you will be very welcome in September, & your journey from Boston will not be a heavy one. We will tell you how to come, & what trains to take.
And so this is hoping you can come September 18 , & stay till Sept. 25 . Francesca M. A., (Member of the Aquarium) will arrive Sept. 20th or 21st from England. Other guests will arrive on the 26th.
August 4 Tuesday – Sam went to New York City for the funeral of his nephew, Samuel E. Moffett, and where, per Robert Collier, he wrote to the Accident Insurance Co. which had determined that Moffett did not die from an accident but from natural causes. Moffett held an accidental death policy but had few assets.
Dear Sir
I shall be obliged to you for giving every consideration in your power to the case of my nephew, Samuel G Moffett, who was insured in your company and who died on Sat. Aug. 1st.
August 5 Wednesday – Sam called on H.H. Rogers’ office at 26 Broadway and talked William Robertson Coe into visiting Redding with his wife “later in the season.” Later in the day he returned to his Redding home, accompanied by Col. George B. Harvey and David Munro (of the N.A.R.), who stayed over until Aug. 7 [Aug. 6 to Emilie Rogers; IVL TS 56 below].
August 6 Thursday – Paine writes of Sam’s reaction to Samuel Moffett’s death:
Clemens was fond and proud of his nephew. Returning from the funeral, he was much depressed, and a day or two later became really ill. He was in bed for a few days, resting, he said, after the intense heat of the journey. Then he was about again and proposed billiards as a diversion. We were all alone one very still, warm August afternoon playing, when he suddenly said:
“I feel a little dizzy; I will sit down a moment.”
August 7 Friday – George B. Harvey and David A. Munro ended their 2 day visit [new guestbook].
H.C. Fish for N. Dakota State Historical Soc. wrote from Bismark, N.D. to ask if under date of May 26, 1874 Clemens had checked into the Capitol House in Bismark [MTP]. Note: IVL: “Mr. Clemens was not West at all in 1874.”
August 8 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: The King wandered out from dinner tonight to look at a wonderful sunset and he called Benares and me to look at the mighty show. But we were compelled to stop in the great room to look at the slim beautiful white figure of the King standing in an archway of the loggia, with the hills and gorgeous glow of the sunset as a background.
August 9 Sunday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to daughter Jean in Gloucester, Mass.
Jean dear, don’t trouble about those financial matters; there will be no occasion for that; the expenses were fair & reasonable, & in any case Miss Lyon will take care of my interests. I knew all about the arrangement when it was made, & not only approved it but helped to make it.
August 10 Monday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to George B. Harvey.
To-day I have written as follows
To Clara Clemens in Europe:
1. “By the original understanding with Paine I was to edit the Biography, with power to approve & disapprove with finality. But I have turned that editing over to Col. Harvey, & he has accepted the job.
August 11 Tuesday – In Redding, Conn., Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to an unidentified person.
“Mr.Tallman should keep in touch with Mr Robert Collier in order that he may keep what Mr. Collier & Mr Clemens have done in the Accident Insurance matter from going astray.
August 12 Wednesday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Susan L. Crane.
August 13 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Helen S. Allen in Bermuda.
To Helen Allen, M. A. (Member of the Aquarium).
August 14 Friday – Sam’s guestbook:
Name Address Date Remarks
John B. Stanchfield ) )
Mrs. Stanchfield ) New York City )“ [August] 14-15 [Clara Spaulding Stanchfield]
Alice their daughter ) )
Note: none of the above names were in the original guestbook.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “The Stanchfields arrived by motor hours late. / Ashcroft started for Canada” [MTP: IVL TS 59].