Vol 3 Section 0431
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July 7 Saturday – |
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July 5 Thursday – |
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Sam attended a reception for the US Minister to the Court of St. James, Joseph H. Choate. Later Clemens made a speech at the Hotel Cecil for the American Society. His letter of July 8 to Richard Watson Gilder lists this day’s activities: |
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What a rush I made of it that day! Attended the Choate reception; then yours [Gilder’s]; then dined out; then started for the 4th of July banquet at the hotel Cecil at a quarter to midnight, made the closing speech at 12, & was on my way to Dollis Hill fifteen minutes later. I am not as old as I used to be [MTP: Willard Wilson, Mark Twain Returns to Hawaii, 1969]. |
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Chatto & Windus wrote to Sam, enclosing a statement and a cheque for £794.15.1 for the “Edition de Luxe” sales [MTP]. |
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1900 |
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379 |
Sam’s notebook: “21 Carleton H. Terrace. Lady Margaret Jenkins, dinner. 8.15. / Plasmon 12? / From Chatto, £794.15.1; and 133.10.2 / 928.9.9 ” [NB 43 TS 20].
At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote a postcard to John Y. MacAlister. “Oh, it’s too late—& besides—well, there’s a lot of reasons why I shouldn’t like to. Forgive my superstitions” [MTP].
Joe Twichell wrote to Sam. “Now you must know that I love you for I have left you alone a whole month—and more. And that for a man hunted from pillar to post by all creation as you are, is worthy to be credited as an act of grace and mercy.” He asked what would the family do after summering in England? He mentioned the Philippines question and also seeing Poultney Bigelow [MTP].
Richard Watson Gilder wrote a note to Sam. It is not extant but referred to in Sam’s July 8 reply.
July 6 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Plasmon—important meeting—Duke st. noon. / Lady Seton, 8 pm. / Clandestine meeting of the Savage Club. / By rule, Chair not allowed to speak. It is a good rule, & I will not transgress it. CLOTHES. / I am a farmer now with hay & sheep” [NB 43 TS 20-21].
At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam telegrammed to Richard W. Gilder: “NOT ABLE TO
PROMISE / CLEMENT [sic]” [MTP]. Note: On July 17 Gilder wrote he got this telegram before leaving London. Sam followed this with a letter two days later. See July 8.
The Savage Club telephoned Sam and invited him to perhaps the last Saturday dinner of the season on the next day, July 7. Sam was “delighted” to accept [Watson 130]. Note: NB above calls this a “clandestine”
meeting. NB of July 7 reveals speakers and their subjects.
Sam’s notebook: “Bram Stoker. Good morals, & how to get along without them. / Diffidence—& how to acquire it. Irving. / Savage Club—6. / How shall we divide up China? Stanley. /A. By giving it all to Russia under a “temporary lease,” like Port Arthur [NB 43 TS 21].
Sam inscribed the Menu for the Savage Club dinner to Mrs. John Y. MacAlister: “Punctuality is the thief
of time / With kindest regards to Mrs. Mac Alister” [MTP]. Note: the menu bore a caricature of Mark Twain.
Watson writes of Sam “in the chair” at the Savage Club’s last Saturday night dinner of the season:
More than a year had elapsed before Mark Twain was able to redeem his promise to preside over a Savage feast, and again his presence was in the character of a surprise. The Saturday night dinners come to an end in July, and the attendance had been thinning down for some weeks past. It was a question of
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.