Vol 3 Section 0758
George B. Harvey wrote to Sam, enclosing the train time-table for Boston and Maine. “I find that the quickest and easiest way for your servants to get to York Harbor, is to take the train leaving the Grand Central Station at 8 A.M., arriving in Boston at 2 P.M.”[MTP].
Floyd Baker Wilson (b.1845) inscribed a copy of his book, Paths to Power (1901): “To Samuel L. Clemens, LL.D., with the compliments and best wishes of the author.—Floyd B. Wilson. New York, June 17, 1902” [Gribben
776; MTP: Anderson Auction catalog, 1911, Item 488].
June 18 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook contained more Hannibal memories for the 50 years after story: “The gang’s meeting-sign, its badge (skull, &c) stuck up (TS.G.) around. This must be the summons (with date & nothing more) 50 yrs hence. / The overflow—back-water in Bear creek—water moccasins in the trees on the clothes” [NB 45 TS19].
June 19 Thursday – Riverdale, N.Y.: Sam’s notebook: “Dr. Rice, George Ade to dinner” [NB 45 TS19].
Livy’s diary: “Dr Rice, Mr George Ade (author of Fables in Slang) & Rodman Gilder here for luncheon”
[MTP: DV161]. Note: Fables in Slang (1899) [Gribben 9].
Sam wrote to Paul Kester in Accotink, Va. (only the envelope survives) [MTP]. Note: Kester had struck an
agreement with Clemens to dramatize Tom Sawyer.
Harry Leon Wilson (1867-1939), author, playwright, wrote to Sam, reminding him of a meeting some eight or nine years before. “I am asking you to accept a copy of my novel ‘The Spenders.’ The publishers [Lothrop of Boston] told me to slather them around. They want to sell a lot, I reckon. I don’t ask you to read the book….Just
accept it, please, as a mark of the very warm liking of one who’s [sic] chief treasure was once ‘Tom Sawyer’, and who, as a boy, read ‘Roughing It’ over and over and over for years and years, until it was so far gone you couldn’t tell it had been ‘Stolen from the Oregon [Illinois] Public Library’” [MTP: Gribben 776-7]. Note: see Sam’s reply on June 23; also Lothrop’s note of June 14. Wilson is best known for his 1915 Ruggles of Red Gap, which was adapted into a movie, with Lucille Ball and Bob Hope, Fancy Pants (1950).
June 20 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to an unidentified person.
Lately, by order of a German court, I appeared before the Prussian Commissioner in the City of New York & gave testimony in the case of Lutz vs. Jacobsthal. I now appear of my own free will & desire before His Imperial Majesty’s Consul in the same city to correct an error made by me in that testimony. What I meant to testify at that time, was, that I made first & original publication of a story called “Tom Sawyer Abroad” in the St. Nicholas Magazine in 1893–4, & that I made first & original publication of a story called “Tom Sawyer Detective” in Harper’s Monthly Magazine in 1896; but by mistake & unconsciously & unintentionally I reversed this order of publication, & thus stated what was not true. In correction of this error I hereby make oath that “Tom Sawyer Detective” was never published in the St. Nicholas Magazine at all, but had first & original publication in Harper’s Monthly Magazine in the year 1896 [MTP]. Note: see MTHHR 481n1; no other records could be found.
The Columbia Missouri Herald, p.3, “Gift of Mark Twain to the State Historical Society,” reported that Sam donated an autographed edition of his complete works to the Society [Sorrentino 41].
June 21 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Muriel M. Pears, mostly about the Juggernaut Club of females he had never met. Did she “want to see the Constitution Laws of my Club of which you are the Member for Scotland?” He added family plans and a political bit.
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.