Jim Zwik's note providing alternative sources for ten of the maxims is
exactly the kind of thing I hoped my first posting might inspire. And his
posting, in turn, inspires some speculation.

From the dates of those sources, I'd guess that the "notebook" (probably a
pocket memoranda booklet like the 1905 "notebook") that Johnson may have
clipped to pieces would have dated ca. 1902-1905, and that Paine likely had
access to it before MJ destroyed it. In fact, Paine could have sold it to
MJ. They were certainly in close touch early on. I have four letters from
Paine to Johnson, mentioning Paine's proofing of MJ's 1910 bib, and another
thanking MJ for help with his 1912 bio -- but none mentioning the sale of a
notebook. MJ was collecting Twain in those years, though, and Paine would
have been the obvious source for MJ to obtain such a notebook. I recall that
20 years ago when I handled that 1905 notebook (which was sold to Nick
Karanovich), the provenance traced directly back to Paine.

Kevin Mac Donnell
Austin TX