Vol 3 Section 0312

262                                                                        1899

MacAlister’s Christmas cards, and the three men obviously found more in common than merely a sense of humor. They were together again at the Savage on 7 July 1900 when it was Clemens’s turn to take the chair at the six-course dinner…[223]. Editorial emphasis.

Insert: Phil May’s cartoon: commemorating the Savage Club dinner on June 9, 1899 with J.Y.W. MacAlister in the chair. Sam is seated to the left and May behind with the red cross on his jacket. The gentleman with the saw is unidentified. Sam is holding a slip out with “Joke.” Dated June 1900, probably May’s idea of a “prophecy” for the following year.

Watson writes:

Mark Twain did not make himself so much at home in the Club as the earlier American humourist [Artemus Ward]; but there are two nights on which he was present that are still vividly remembered. On each occasion his presence was more the result of accident than of arrangement. It was a memorable Savage Night when, on June 9, 1899, Mr. J.Y.W. MacAlister, brought with him, unheralded this genial philosopher and humourist [The Savage Club (1907) p.126].

John W. Ivimey’s Savage Club Supper menu was  signed by Mark Twain, Phil May, and Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937), great Italian inventor [Watson 126]. Ivimey was an author of children’s books.

June 10 SaturdayAt the Prince of Wales Hotel in London, Sam wrote to Douglas B. Sladen.

Thank you, I am your man. Make it a fortnight or three weeks off, as you suggest, & give me the date so that I may make sure that it doesn’t double-up on some other engagement [MTP]. Note: Douglas Brooke Wheelton Sladen (1856-1947), travel writer, poet, author, scholar, and editor of Who’s Who between 1897-1899. He lived in Melbourne, Australia for a number of years, where his uncle, Sir Charles Sladen, had been premier of Victoria. He returned to London in 1884. Sladen collected all the correspondence he had with interesting and prominent people of his time into 70 scrapbooks. Many of the letters were from well known literary and political figures.

Sam’s notebook: “Sat. 10 Lord Salisbury’s party” [NB 40 TS 56]. Note: Lord Salisbury (1830-1903), whose full handle was Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, lived and died at Hatfield House, a structure completed in 1611. Fatout lists as London, “speech or story” with no further particulars [MT Speaking 666].

June 11 SundayAt the Prince of Wales Hotel in London, England, Sam wrote a follow-up to Douglas B. Sladen.

“Did I tell you, the other night at the Authors, that this family (including me if I can manage it) are expecting to go to Lambeth Palace on the 22d at 3 p.m.? (Date and hour correct?) Did I tell you that, or have I dreamed it?” [MTP]. Note: Sam did have this appointment in his notebook.

Sam also wrote to an unidentified woman, declining an invitation for June 29 as he had another engagement [MTP]. Note: notebook entry: appointment at the New Vagabonds at King’s Hall for the 29th [NB 40 TS 57].

Sam also wrote an aphorism to an unidentified person: “Be good & You will be lonesome. / Truly Yours / Mark Twain / London, June 11/99” [MTP].

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.