Vol 3 Section 0632

hand,” and Finch’s “Gather ye smiles from ocean isles,” which had been written for the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary. In the afternoon the guests were formally welcomed by President Hadley, and among those responding were Dr. Williams, Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford; Professor Martens, of the University of St. Petersburg; President Harper, of Chicago, and President Eliot, of Harvard. For the night’s torchlight procession great preparations had been made. The old Green was brilliantly illuminated. More than 7,000 were in line, and 6,000 of these were Yale men, displaying an interesting variety of costume and enjoying themselves in a jolly way. For two miles they marched along, passing through crowded and brightly lighted streets [Oct. 31, 1901 p. 2553]. Note: In the order named: Dr. Arthur Twining Hadley (1856-1930), President of Yale (1899-1921); Dr. William Henry Welch (1850-1934); Dr. James Williams (1851-1911); Friedrich Fromhold Martens (1845-1909); William Rainey Harper (1856-1906).

Sometime during the celebrations Sam accidentally met Adele Chapin (Mrs. Robert Chapin), whom he had first met in South Africa in 1896 and later seen often in London. Chapin recollected this meeting with Twain and a poem reading, which seems to fit this day or the next:

We lunched with the Choates and Mark Twain and President and Mrs. Hadley were there. After lunch Mr. Clemens, delighted to see us again, said, “Come with me”; and we followed him to his lodgings, where we became engrossed in talk. Suddenly he remembered that it was time to go on to the reading of the Poem for the occasion, to which only the elect were invited, and we were not. I explained this to him, but he only said: “That makes no difference; come with me.” My husband protested, but I followed Mr. Clemens. The crowd was dense, but at once made way for the great man, who was instantly recognized, and we followed in his wake. He marched into the great hall, giving me the open sesame by a wave of his hand; and, beckoning to me to follow, he walked on to the platform and seated me between himself and Booker Washington. I was the only lady on the platform and an object of much curiosity and amusement to my friends who recognized me from the boxes [216-17]. Note: Joseph Hodges Choate, at this time US Ambassador to England (1899-1905); Yale President Arthur Twining Hadley; Booker T. Washington, founder of Tuskegee Institute.

October 22 Tuesday – In New Haven, Conn. sometime after noon, Sam wrote to Livy of missing events of the previous day:

I didn’t write last night, Livy darling, for it was 11 when I went to bed, & I was part tired & part lazy. Breakfast was to be served at 8.45, & I thought I would have plenty of time to write before that meal; but I slept until 9—then I rushed down unshaven, & was just in time. The reason I didn’t shave was because there was no razor among my traps. Immediately after breakfast I borrowed the razor of my fellow-guest, Professor Walton, who is here to represent Edinburgh University.

The Stokeses are charming. There are three unmarried daughters; the Ilsenberg Stokes is the eldest son— he will be here tomorrow morning.

The function at 3 yesterday afternoon was the first one requiring gowns & hoods, & is described as being a splendid display of brilliant colors.

The second one was at 10, this morning; there were to be a lot of formidable orations, & I didn’t go; Walton, his wife, the Stokes girls & I made a tour of the University buildings, covering two hours very pleasantly. In the campus a great crowd of students thundered the Yale cry, closing with “M-a-r-k T-w-a-i-n— Mark Twain!” & I took off my hat & bowed.

When we got back to the house (12.05) Choate had arrived, & we went & left cards at President Hadley’s house—nobody at home. So that’s done, & I’m glad, because of course I missed his guest-reception yesterday, & am intending to leave before his guest-farewell to-morrow, though it may be that I can’t do it. The reception to the President of the U.S. [Roosevelt] is to-morrow evening, 9 to 10. Etiquette may require that I remain to that; in which case I shall not reach Riverdale until some time day after tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon.

Mr. Stokes and Wm. E. Dodge are cousins. …

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