Vol 3 Section 0442

³⁹⁰                                                                        1900

 

August 24 Friday – At Dollis Hill House in London, Sam inscribed a copy of The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories and Sketches to Ethel Bell (Mrs. C. Moberly Bell): “To Mrs. C. Moberly Bell with the compliments of the Author / London, Aug. 24/00” [MTP: The Jenkins Co. catalog, No. 139, Item 195].

 

Sam also inscribed a copy of the same book to Robert McClure: “To / Robert McClure / With the kindest

 

regards of / The Author / London, Aug. 24/00” [MTP]. Note: brother of Samuel McClure in London office.

 

Sam also inscribed a copy of the same book to Bram Stoker: “To Bram Stoker / from his friend / The Author / London, Aug. 24/00” [MTP].

 

Joe Twichell wrote from East Hampton, Long Island to Sam.

 

Dear old Mark, / We are down here—all but young Harmony of course—occupying Judy’s cottage which she didn’t want this season. It is everybody’s vacation but mine. I pass four days of the week here but am on duty in Hartford Sundays. …Harmony Senior spends her days on the veranda mostly and is steadily getting better. …

Mark, the way you throw your rotten eggs at the human race doth greatly arride me. We preachers are extensively accused of vilifying human nature, as you are aware; but I must own that for enthusiasm of misanthropy you beat us out of sight [MTP].

 

August 25 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Murrays come to luncheon—arrive about 1” [NB 43 TS 25]. Note: T.

 

Douglas Murray. See Aug. 27 unsent letter to Murray.

 

Harper’s Weekly ran E.E. Beach’s review of The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg on p. 806. Tenney: “A

 

general and largely uncritical description of several stories in the new book” [32].

 

August 26 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Human Peculiarities as Exhibited in History” [NB 43 TS 25].

 

Williston Fish wrote to Sam.

 

In the spring of 1880 [sic] you came to West Point, and aided the celebration of our One Hundred Nights to June. The next day you came over to barracks, and told us stories….Countless times when I have been

 

reading something of yours…I have felt a strong hunch to write you and let you know that I was listening to what you said. I am a hopeless insolvent in the debt I owe you….Well, the word would be a barren

 

promontory without such files as Mark Twain. I wish you would come back to this country and go about so that people could see you [MTP]. Note: Fish, who kept extensive notes of his cadet days, misdated the One Hundredth Night celebration—it was in 1881 [Leon 43].

 

 

Sam’s notebook: “Go down to Tilbury & see the Ship. / Rooms 1 & 3 / 4 fares £ 96 / 7 & 9 same rate / Maid £16 on saloon deck. / Wrote Murray I would not allow the Joan of Arc Introduction to be inserted in his book in any form—doctored or otherwise” [NB 43 TS 25].

 

At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote two letters to T. Douglas Murray, the first bears

 

Sam’s note at the top: “Never sent; I hadn’t the heart. He never meant any harm; he was only ignorant & stupid. /

S.L.C., Sept. 7.” The unsent letter:

 

I will not deny that I am alarmed. Please do not lose any time in ordering your type-writer to send me the original of the “Introduction” [to the Official Trials of Joan of Arc] so that I can put it in a safe place, where it will not be exposed to further school-girl attempts at “editing” it. …

I will hold no grudge against you…for I believe you innocently meant well….Your lack of literary

training, literary perception, literary judgment, literary talent, along with a deficient knowledge of grammar & of the meanings of words—these are to blame, not you [MTP].

 

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