Vol 3 Section 0477

1900									425
	“Well, say, this beats croquet. There’s more go about it!”
	“That Yale team could lick a Spanish army!”
	“The country is safe when its young men show such pluck and determination as are here in evidence to-
	day.”
	….
John Y. MacAlister wrote to Sam, reassured by Sam’s letter about
Mr. Cook: “…it was a great comfort to learn your good opinion of
him.” The letter covered developments in England on the Plasmon
Syndicate; their prospectus was “almost ready.” They needed £30,000
and hoped Sam could get some of his friends to help raise the amount.
One plus for the outfit:
	“I have done a rather good stroke with Sandow, the strong man, who is
	going to join us and will, through his enormous connection of pupils all over
	the world, recommend a special Plasmon-Sandow breakfast food” [MTP].
	Eugen Sandow (1867–1925), born Friedrich Wilhelm Müller, was a
	Prussian  pioneering  body  builder,  called  the  “Father  of  Modern
	Bodybuilding”. He died of a stroke. See Insert of Sandow in 1894.

James B. Pond inscribed a copy of his 1900 Eccentricities of Genius, etc. to Livy “with a sentimental hyperbole to the genius of her husband” [Gribben 553].

November 18 Sunday – Sam was in Princeton, N.J. staying with the Laurence Hutton’s [NB 43 TS 29].

On letterhead sporting “PEEP O’DAY / PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY,” (Laurence Hutton’s home) Sam wropte to

William Webster Ellsworth.

Dear Mr. Ellsworth:

I’ve thought of a couple of guests, if you like:

Joe Jefferson

Gen. C.J. Langdon.

The latter’s address is Elmira, N.Y.

Brother-in-law of mine / Sincerely Yours / SL. Clemens [in left lower corner:] OVER

[verso]

P.S. I am here for a day at Hutton’s. I think he is going to the dinner, but am not sure. It was a remark which I overheard but did not wholly catch [eBay 370464267086; James Lowe Autographs; Dec. 2010]. Note: the dinner in question was the Aldine Assoc. planned for Dec. 4.

The New York World ran “‘This Beats Croquet,’ Said Mark Twain at Football Game,” p. 3, an interview of sorts about Twain at the Princeton-Yale match of Nov. 17. [MTCI 375-77].

November 19 Monday – At Princeton, N.J.. Sam wrote to Channing H. Cook with the American Plasmon Syndicate asking that two pounds of Plasmon be sent to Laurence Hutton since he had been at Hutton’s for two days and eaten up all his supply [MTP].

Sam returned to N.Y.C. He had a “delightful companion” on his trip back, a Mr. Palmer, whom he wrote of to Hutton on Nov. 21 (not further identified).

Sam’s notebook: “12.30 Frank Doubleday—he will come for me. Lunch” [NB 43 TS 29].

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