Vol 3 Section 0581

“Old Clemens” his love to “Old Howells,” with a many thanks for the reminder, & for the vehicle that conveyed it. You do the part well, in the picture—which is old beyond computation—but it is a trifle too clerical, too archbishopy; also too intentionally & studiedly holy—as it were, a kind of Ament who has been gutting & looting & ravishing, & is doing his best to keep the Kodak from suspecting it.

Send one & evoke the jealous frenzy of Old Aldrich [MTHL 2: 727].

Sam’s notebook: “About this time read or talk (preferably the former) to J.H. Rosenberg’s (206 Broadway— address). I must remember to ask the age of the boys, & require that the hall shall be small” [NB 44 TS 11]. Fatout lists the talk J.H. Rosenberg’s, N.Y.C., but gives no particulars [MT Speaking 669].

May 28 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Wait for Burton Thompson” [NB 44 TS 11]. Note: not identified.

The New York Times, May 29, p 3 reported on a banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria to organize the

Missouri Society of New York:

A MISSOURI SOCIETY NOW

———

Organization in This City Formed at a Banquet.

———

Representative Missourians, According

to Mark Twain—Augustus Van

Wyck’s Plan for a National

Transportation System.

The men who hail from Missouri and who make New York their home, organized a society last night to be known as the “Missouri Society of New York.” They began with a banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria. Augustus Thomas, the playwright, presided, and the opinion was generally expressed that he will be the President of the organization when it reaches the point of the election of officers.

This inaugural meeting was made the occasion also for booming the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, which is to be opened in the City of St. Louis in 1903, and which it was declared would be “the finest that this country has ever seen.” In the end, entirely unannounced and unheralded, the committee which arranged the banquet sprang Mark Twain upon their guests, and when his bushy white hair was caught sight of he was treated to an ovation.

The humorist had a rival in Augustus Thomas for a little while. Mr. Thomas, after reminding his fellow-Missourians that they were a little tardy in forming their society, since one from nearly every State already existed in New York, launched out into such pleasantries as this:

“I have been informed that Missouri is great for its production of zinc. Now I didn’t know exactly what zinc was used for until a friend of mine explained it all to me. I think I was proudest, however, after he had made the statement that Missouri produced the grandest galvanized fronts in the world.” [Tumultuous applause.]

After Mr. Thomas had given the Missourians several more slaps like that, using the Missourian mule, which he explained was he finest in the land, as a vehicle for his humor, the reading of the letter of regret from ex-Gov. David R. Francis was ordered to be read. Mr. Francis stated in his letter that his duties as President of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition would not permit him to be present at the banquet, much as he desired to be.

C. H. Spencer, Vice President of the Exposition, responded to the toast which had been intended for the ex-Governor, and said pretty much the same things which Mr. Francis said in his letter of regret. They were mostly along the line of the progress being made financially with the Exposition. This is a part of Mr. Spencer’s speech: [Omitted here]

Mr. Clemens, who followed Mr. Spencer, took up the matter of statistics in this wise:

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