Vol 3 Section 0695
I am trying to disqualify a remark made by one of those Emperors there in Europe who had fallen into a kind of habit of not being at home when I called, and who said—apropos of nothing, so far as I could see— “You have talent, Clemens, but what you lack is discretion.”
March 7 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to John H. Johnston. “I thank you very much for the coat of arms. This one is new to me, & I am glad to have it” [MTP: www.Autographs.com, Oct. 7, 2001].
Sam’s notebook: “8. Box 16—2d tier Hampton folk-lore & singing” [NB 45 TS 5]. See insert ad, NY Times, Mar. 7, 1902, p. 6 “Amusements”. Note: speech by Booker T. Washington; benefit concert for the Hampton Normal & Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va., (became Hampton University in 1984) and also for Washington’s Tuskegee Institute.
Livy’s diary: “Charley took luncheon with me” [MTP: DV161].
Frank Bliss wrote to Sam concering Sam’s idea to have the Collier Publishing Co. issue a ten-volume edition of his selected writings, some of which had been included by Harpers as well as American Publishing Co. After detailing the offer, he wrote:
Now, I hate to give a thing up after I get at it, and so I ran up home here today to think the matter over a little further and to see whether the folks here thought there was anything worth considering in the last offer; but after going all over the question, we have come to the conclusion that there is no advantage for anybody in taking up the Collier offer. His principle is all right, but his figures are too close [MTHHR 521n2]. Note: see Mar. 13, 1903 to Rogers.
John H. Johnston wrote to Sam. Text is not available [MTP].
March 8 before – C.A. Von Ramdohr sent Sam a printed page announcing the Society of Medical Jurisprudence was having its 20th Annual Dinner at the Hotel Savoy on Mar. 8 at 6:30 [MTP]. Note: Sam would attend and give a speech.
March 8 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to George B. Harvey of Harper & Brothers.
I told Bliss a long time ago that the 2-barelled Detective was to be a spring book, and that Duneka would decide the date in a day or two and write and give me a date for Bliss. So I told Bliss he would use the matter about the first of May.
Since my talk with you the other day I repeated that. To-day I told him he could use it as early as April 15 if there was necessity, and I would be responsible that it would be all right. If this is objectionable, please tell me by letter Monday the 10th, or by telegram Tuesday, for I sail Wednesday. If I do not hear from you I will take your silence to mean “O.K.” [MTP].
In the evening Sam went to the Savoy Hotel (Sam’s notebook gives 6.30 time: NB 45 TS 5) to speak before the
Society on Medical Jurisprudence. Fatout introduces Sam’s speech (italics his):
As a man who had become a universal spokesman, whose opinion on any subject was likely to be publicized, Mark Twain was not disconcerted when appearing before specialized groups, cultural, scientific, technical or legal. He could be interesting to engineers, chemists, painters and, as in the speech below, to medical jurists who gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of their society.
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.