Vol 3 Section 0540

I have rearranged the Battle Hymn of the Republic this afternoon and brought it down to date…Sample stanza:

“I have read his bandit gospel write in burnished rows of steel,

As ye deal with my pretensions, so with you my wrath shall deal.

Let the faithless sons of freedom, crush the patriot with his heel. Lo, Greed is Marching on.” “Feb. 14. 1901.”

[MTP: Memphis Press-Scimitar Nov. 16, 1935]. Note: see Gribben 326 for Julia Ward Howe. Zwick’s Mark Twain’s Weapons of Satire, p. 40 states Twain put this in a book inscription to Boyle, “but did not submit the poem for publication” (thanks to JoDee Benussi). Budd states that Sam’s “Battle Hymn” was “probably written during February 1901” and was not published during Sam’s life [Collected 2: 1006].

Sam also wrote to nephew Samuel E. Moffett, writing on D.B. Montgomery’s Feb. 14 letter: “Sam, for God’s sake write this cuss something or other & deliver me out of his grip” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Mary Elizabeth Phillips, too “pressed for time” to write anything for her, but referred her to his publishers for consent to use excerpts from his books [MTP].

J. Kelly of Haverhill, Mass. wrote, hoping Sam lived to 150 years old; he didn’t need a reply [MTP].

D.B. Montgomery wrote a follow-up request to Sam. Montgomery was “gathering material and writing a history of the Scotch Irish branch of the Montgomery family in the United States” [MTP]. Note: Sam referred this to his nephew, Samuel E. Moffett.

John Brisben Walker for Cosmopolitan wrote to Sam:

Life is not devoid of compensations. When Pierpont Morgan, the owner of Harpers and the North American, engaged your exclusive services I was dismayed; but when I find in the North American your article on the Philippines I think I see the point. Your going to the enemy was like Judith in order that you might bring back the head of Holofernes McKinley in the North American bag. The other fellows have got money but they haven’t got a monopoly of the brains. Accept my profoundest congratulations… [MTP].

Charles J. Windgate for the Twilight Club (NY) wrote to Sam, enclosing a “Certificate of Membership” with compliments for his “Sitting in Darkness” article [MTP].

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