Vol 3 Section 1046

Sam wrote on addiction, which he sent to Charles J. Langdon for his opinion, back on Jan 12, 1903. Paine gave it the title “The Drinking and Tobacco Habits Cured”; unpublished until in the MTP’s microfilm of Mark Twain’s Writings.

Annie Webster wrote to Sam.

“We reached Rome this morning having come around by Subiaco. Thank you very much for the check we will return it as soon as we reach N.Y. I felt very much your kindness in writing such a long letter when you are all in such trouble” [MTP]. Note: Sam’s “long letter” is not extant.

April 30 Saturday

May – Bookman (NY), p. 235-6, ran Harry Thurston Peck’s article, “Mark Twain at Ebb Tide.” Tenney: “A review of Extracts from Adam’s Diary as showing ‘just how far a man who was once a great humorist can fall. We thought when we read A Double-Barrelled Detective Story that Mark Twain could do no worse. But we were wrong’” [40].

Harper’s Weekly ran an interview with Mark Twain by J. M’Arthur [Tenney 39: Henderson (1911) p. 223].

May 1 Sunday

May 2 Monday – George B. Harvey wrote from NY to Sam.

“I have just returned from a hurried trip to London where I remained two weeks and, like the man in the poker game did not have an opportunity to turn my head to spit. I saw Howells several times and he is looking very well….My great sorrow was that I could not sneak out the time to come down to Florence…” He enclosed a few clippings to make Sam smile (not in the file) [MTP].

Hélène Elisabeth Picard wrote to Sam, sorry to hear about his illness and more trouble with Livy. She had also been reading some criticism in The Booklover’s: “Mark Twain, Made in America,” and she wrote:

I am satisfied with the praises, but I don’t like the criticism. I wish people would only write about what they are able to understand…but then, the editors could take to hoeing in the fields, except one or two who could do all the work. The idea of misunderstanding the “Yankee,” one of my favorites; the idea of saying “Joan” is dull! Well, Mr. Parrott has truly deserved his name. I’d like to tell him how we, French, (I mean, those who read English) appreciate “Joan of Arc”; and we ought to know, I suppose [MTP].

May 3 Tuesday – At the Villa Reale di Quarto, Isabel Lyon wrote for Sam to Baroness Elisabeth de Nolde in Florence. (They would meet on May 12; see entry.)

Mr. Clemens wishes me to write for him to say that for some time he has been trying to call upon you but he cannot seem to do so, and he sends you Mr. Duneka’s letter, that you may see what he says, and determine whether you will write him yourself or let the matter drop.

Mr. Clemens wishes me to say that Mr. Duneka’s reception of the matter is too cool to suit him; and Mr. Clemens cannot represent Mr. Duneka where he shows so little appreciation of the service that Mr. Clemens tried to do for him & his magazine. / With much respect [MTP].

Note: Sam met the Baroness on May 12 and described her to Gilder. Sam explained to Gilder that the Baroness was editing and annotating unpublished letters of Madame de Stael (1766-1817) and her married lover, Benjamin Constant (1767-1830). She sought a publisher. Duneka of Harper’s had been tepid in his response. Putnam published her volume in 1905.

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