The Man in the White Suit: Day By Day

November 12 Monday – In N.Y.C. Isabel V. Lyon wrote to Harriet E. Whitmore.

The darling wonderful White King isn’t out of the house yet. It wasn’t a bad bronchitis, but it housed him well & on Saturday when Thomas Bailey Aldrich was here—(he came Friday & left Sunday) the King hopped around without many clothes on & so added to his bronchial condition which finished with heavy coughing again. But again he is better.

November 12 Tuesday – The New York Times, Nov. 13, p.9, “Reception to Mark Twain,”reported:  

Reception to Mark Twain.

———

Author the Guest of Honor at the Colony Club.

The officers and members of the Colony Club gave a reception yesterday afternoon [Nov. 12] in honor of Mark Twain.

      Mrs. J. Borden Harriman, the President of the club; Mrs. Richard Irving, and other club officers received.

November 12 Thursday – Sam’s A.D. for this date focused again on the two burglars at Stormfield [Hill 209]. Note: Sam also dictated on the burglary on Oct. 6 and Dec. 8.  

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “In bed all day, worn out. Paine came and dined with the King” [MTP: IVL TS 79].

Frank N. Doubleday wrote to Lyon (though catalogued to Clemens) [MTP].

November 12 Friday —- W.H. Fletcher for the Robert Fulton Monument wrote to Sam. “It has been my intention to acknowledge your letter about the Miller controversy....Mr. Vanderbilt, Mr. Cutting, Mr. Guggenheim and others were very glad to see you assert your rights against others in signing themselves as Acting-President.” He conveyed notice about a dinner to be held on Nov.18 at the Hotel Plaza for the sailing to the Philippines by Colonel H.O.S.

November 13 Sunday – Margaret Jenkins wrote from London a delayed message of condolence to Sam, delayed only by lack of an address. She added, “Norbury is going to American this week, & hopes to have the pleasure of seeing you” [MTP]. Note: William Brabazon Lindsay Graham-Toler, 4th Earl of Norbury

November 13 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Jean , in Katonah, N.Y. “Jean dear, since I wrote the other day, conditions have not changed—at least for the better. They stopped me from playing billiards & I have been in bed ever since.” Sam then told of his “Stag dinner party” of Nov. 9, and of being tired on Nov. 10 from playing billiards until the wee hours, and of not going to Henry M. Alden’s dinner party celebrating his 70 . He was ordered to bed by Dr. Halsey. He finished with:

November 13 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Benar came back to us, but still I am ill. My forces are very much scattered” [MTP: IVL TS 79].

American Geographical Soc., NYC Per Chandler Robbins sent Sam a printed list of officers with dues of ten dollars [MTP]. Note: IVL: “Many thanks but he is resigning from clubs & societies rather than joining them. And has retired to the country to reside”; and “Ans. Nov. 25 MLH”

November 13 Saturday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Elizabeth Wallace.

November 14 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Ill on this day” [MTP TS 146].

Fanny Flint Conradson wrote from Franklin, Pa. to Sam. She, like many others, had read in the NY Herald of his bronchitis. She was a lifelong fan of his books since IA. Now she was a “twisted cripple” but owed much to his books for lightening her load.

November 14 Thursday – Sam took a walk up Fifth Ave. to 42nd Street. At 4 p.m. at the Church of the Ascension, Sam attended the wedding of Miss Marjorie Rice, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Clarence C. Rice, to Gordon Means of Boston [NY Times, Nov. 13, 1907, p. 9; Nov. 15 to Jean: Nov. 21 to Mary Rogers].

In the evening he played billiards till midnight [Nov. 15 to Jean].

November 14 Saturday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote a poem and a note to Margaret Blackmer.

BE GOOD, BE GOOD. A Poem.

November 14 Sunday — Sam’s new guestbook:

November 15 Tuesday – Edwin Frost for the Society of Sons of Steerage wrote from Providence, R.I., to announce a dinner in honor of Thomas Nelson Page , on Nov. 21 at 10 p.m. “The unusually late hour has been selected in order to allow Mr. F. Hopkinson Smith, who is engaged earlier in the evening, to be present” [MTP].

Charles J. Langdon wrote a short note to Sam, enclosing some article of praise for Mark Twain (not in the file, but written at the top “Estimates of M.T.” [MTP].

November 15 Wednesday – In N.Y.C. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to John Larkin to complain about the new steam heating system installed in the house. The five men who had investigated the problem had not solved it; the main problem being a “constant singing” in the front bedroom radiators, even when cold, which forced his daughters to put beds in their sitting rooms. He requested the matter be brought before the contractor, James A. Renwick, as soon as possible [MTP]. 

November 15 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal noted she was still ill [MTP TS 146].

J.G. Babb Secretary for University of Missouri wrote to Sam requesting his portrait, though it must be “approved by a committee competent to pass on its artistic merit” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “No answer – the terms of the letter being uncourteous to the verge of brutality.”

November 15 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to daughter Jean in Katonah, N.Y.  

November 15 Sunday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Champ Clark (James Beauchamp Clark) (1850-1921), prominent democrat politician, speaker of the House of Representatives (1911-1919), at this time a Congressman from Missouri.

When you come East won’t you run up here (an hour & a half from New York), & stay a day or two with me & talk copyright extension?

I’ve got a new scheme. This time there ought to be no objectors, for my plan advantages

Private.

Dear Mr. Clark:

November 15 Monday — In Redding, Conn. Albert B. Paine wrote for Sam to prof. Archibald Henderson at Univ. N. Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Dear Professor Henderson, / Your article in the Deutsch'e Revue pleases Mr. Clemens very much indeed, and with his favorable opinion all in this house concur. Miss Jean Clemens who is very proficient in the German, is especially delighted with your facility in that language.
Very sincerely yours, / Albert Bigelow Paine [MTP].

November 16 Wednesday – At the Grosvenor Hotel in N.Y.C. Sam wrote a letter of recommendation for Madame Hartwig:

To whom it may concern:

November 16 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote to Chauncey M. Depew.

Having had some experience with the methods of the Oppenheimer Institute, through the case of a dependent whom I sent to take the cure, I am interested in knowing what results others have found in the Oppenheimer treatment. As your name is given as one of the advisory directors of the Institute I infer that you have personal knowledge of beneficial results to patients. Will you kindly inform me of any cases within your own knowledge, and oblige [MTP].

November 16 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:

C.C. walks out of my room in her blue wrapper & says, “Damn the profession, I don’t like anything about it!”

Today I went downstairs in the afternoon. The King was playing billiards with AB. C.C. went to sing down in the bowery, & the King & I dined alone; later I played the Lohengrin Wedding March for him twice [MTP TS 147].

Chapters from “My Autobiography—VI” ran in the N.A.R. p.961-70.

November 16 Saturday – Alice Minnie Herts wrote to Miss Lyon the “final plan” for next Tuesday (19th) evening [MTP].

Julia Marlowe wrote on The Plaza, NYC notepaper to Sam. “I am eager you should see this reprint of an article by Arthur Symons which appeared in London…Do you not think it superbly written?”  [MTP].