Vol 3 Section 0862

⁸⁰⁰                                                                        1903

room fire, and when I handed him two fives, with the statement that a friend of yours, who did not wish to be known would send you, that sum for him every month, I could hardly make him believe it” [MTP].

John T. Lewis wrote to Sam, thanking him for all the unexpected generosity [MTP].

George Standring wrote to Sam.

I feel impelled on this, the first day of the New Year, to write you a few lines assuring you of my affectionate remembrance (which will last as long as I do), & wishing you and yours all good things…

The happy time—only too short!—that I spent with you at Dollis Hill, when you received me in the graceful deshabille of a shirt, & we sat in your bedroom & smoked & talked of things all & sundry… [MTP].

January 2 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Emilie R. Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers).

I hasten to put into your hands part of a letter from Mrs. Crane (Mrs.Clemens’s sister) which can be used on Mr. Rogers, not as proof that there is such a person as John T. Lewis, but as presumptive evidence. I shall accumulate other evidence of a plausible sort from time to time, & pass it through your hands—not to be used suddenly & breed suspicion, but applied warily & with the most cautious judacity. I think a photograph will be a persuasive thing—a nice smart dark-complected photograph, ostensibly of Lewis. Also a receipt in a dark-complected orthography purporting to come from Lewis. In this way we can eventually convince Mr. Rogers; & then we can get the money every time, & spend it. I think he is more than half convinced already.

Think of Providence putting off a debt to Lewis 18 years, & then smouching it out of Mr. Roger’s pocket, a perfect stranger. It was 18 years ago that he was executor. The ways of Providence are past finding out. I’m sorry, too for some of them are economical.

I saw Mrs. Clemens again yesterday for 5 minutes, & she was in great spirits, & sent her love to you & the same in a properly qualified form to Mr. Rogers.

Jean is doing finely, very finely [MTHHR 515]. Note: on the John T. Lewis matter, see the spoof letter and telegram he mailed to Rogers on or just after this date, below:

Sam’s notebook: reminder to ask William Denison McCrackan for Mary Baker Eddy’s Retrospection and Introspection (1902) [Gribben 212; NB 46 TS 4].

January 2, after – Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers, a spoof letter and a spoof telegram he decided to mail.

[The letter:] Mister roggers dear sir i left a cain in that crockery jug in yore offis it has a sollid gold hed on it but looks like puter on accounts of wether and hard usidge and is wuth ninety fore dolers send me the mony if she is lost or look by yore son hairey or eny of those others which hangs eround thair they probly took her before this time send it to jon t. louis he will see i get it and goddlemighty will bless you dear mister roggers so no more at preasant from yore true freind in jesus / archible askins / care jon t lewis.

[The Night Telegram (mailed)]: Party here of Lewis addicted to simple Christian life is busted pleas send releaf send it awful quick or too late to help yours truly / Baker of Fairhaven [MTHHR 515-16n1].

Herbert E. Bowen, private secretary for Harper & Brothers wrote to Sam asking him to read and correct the enclosed proof of Sam’s speech given at his 67^th birthday dinner. George B. Harvey was

putting together a little book “to guests only”

sent it on to Joe Twichell. See entries.

January 3 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote on the top of p. 114 from the Jan. 1903 issue of The Atlantic, “A Song Composed in a Dream” to Susan Crane:

talked with Charley. / SLC” [MTP].

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