February 28 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam was a pall-bearer at Patrick McAleer’s funeral.
William Dean Howells wrote from Atlantic City, N.J. to Sam.
No praise that I ever had for work of my own gave me such entire and perfect joy as your praise of Pilla’s poem. Of course your letter has gone straight to her, and she will know how to prize the words which are simply without price.
I have no complaint to make of Clara [who was also in Atlantic City] except that I was not the least use in the world to her. Sometimes she must make that up to me. I wish she could go to Bermuda while Pilla is there.
To-morrow I shall be 69, but I do not seem to care. I did not start the affair, and I have not been consulted about it at any step. I was born to be afraid of dying, but not of getting old. Age has many advantages, and if old men were not so ridiculous, I should not mind being one. But they are ridiculous and they are ugly. The young do not see this so clearly as they do; but some day they will.
So you have been up, burying poor old Patrick [McAleer]—I suppose he was old, too. I remember how you used to work, one while, over his stable. I dare say he did not like it; but he probably never said so, and now the best return you can make is to see him put under the ground. It is strange, but that was really the best you could do, and I am glad you did it.
I want to hear some of your autobiography, if you will let me: or you could give me the MS. and let me read it for myself.
Mrs. Howells joins me in love to you all.
After his signature Howells added a paragraph about resolving death, and of his 87 year old father’s resolving it [MTHL 2: 801-2].
Isabel Lyon’s journal:
Santissima sang today for Mrs. Day & Alice Day & Miss Burbank& Miss Gordon & Miss McGinnis & Dorothea Gilder. Some of her notes were very, very beautiful, but she has the beginning of another cold, & so she was a little nervous. Dorothea Gilder was refreshing in a pretty new brown crepe de chine frock, she whirled around in a sweet naive way & asked us to admire it. We had been doing it without her pretty bidding. Saturday she sails in the Princess Irene for Gibraltar with Miss Cecilia Beaux.
Katie came home tonight from Patrick’s funeral. She said it was beautiful to see Mr. Clemens walk up the aisle of the Cathedral with his hand on Patrick’s coffin. (And I hope his spirit could see the honor done to his dear faithful body by his wonderful master.) She said the place was full of people, for it became known that Mr. Clemens was to be at the funeral & so homage was done to him. I hope Jesse Moore had a look at his beautiful face. Katie said that Mr. Clemens didn’t go to the cemetery [MTP TS 38-39].
Hill writes of Clara Clemens’ struggle to regain her singing form and of Isabel Lyon’s journal entry: “On February 28 she attempted to sing: ‘,’ Isabel commented [122].
Frederick A. Duneka wrote to Sam. “At the request of Miss Lyon, I am sending you a copy of the additions you wrote to ‘Adam’s Diary’ which are to be inserted at page 35. / We expect to have a dozen more pictures for ‘Eve’s Diary’ in two or three days. When they arrive, I shall let you know” [MTP].
Bernard F. Martin wrote on Senate Chamber, State of NY letterhead to acknowledge receipt of Sam’s letter. “I voted against Osteopathy last winter. I have not made up my mind as to my course on this bill mentioned by you” [MTP].
Albert Leopold Mills, Superintendent of West Point Military Academy, replied to thank Sam for his photograph sent Feb. 26. Mills hoped that Sam might come to see the many changes there [MTP]. Note: See Leon 250.
Susana Torres de Pastex wrote from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Sam. She was sending a parchment painted with “our great Mark Twain!” and asked that he might “write something on it” [MTP].
Leslie J. Tompkins wrote on Assembly Chamber State of NY letterhead to thank Sam for his suggestions concerning the Osteopathy Bill. Tompkins had not yet studied the bill. He feared his bills would be “buried in committee” [MTP].
W. Vernon wrote to Sam, sorry that a meeting was not to be, but “delighted however to hear that the probabilities in favor of a settlement of this business [along] lines we discussed in the fall are nearly attained.” He hoped to be back from England in the beginning of May [MTP].
William Dean Howells wrote from Atlantic City, N.J. to Sam.
No praise that I ever had for work of my own gave me such entire and perfect joy as your praise of Pilla’s poem. Of course your letter has gone straight to her, and she will know how to prize the words which are simply without price.
I have no complaint to make of Clara [who was also in Atlantic City] except that I was not the least use in the world to her. Sometimes she must make that up to me. I wish she could go to Bermuda while Pilla is there.
To-morrow I shall be 69, but I do not seem to care. I did not start the affair, and I have not been consulted about it at any step. I was born to be afraid of dying, but not of getting old. Age has many advantages, and if old men were not so ridiculous, I should not mind being one. But they are ridiculous and they are ugly. The young do not see this so clearly as they do; but some day they will.
So you have been up, burying poor old Patrick [McAleer]—I suppose he was old, too. I remember how you used to work, one while, over his stable. I dare say he did not like it; but he probably never said so, and now the best return you can make is to see him put under the ground. It is strange, but that was really the best you could do, and I am glad you did it.
I want to hear some of your autobiography, if you will let me: or you could give me the MS. and let me read it for myself.
Mrs. Howells joins me in love to you all.
After his signature Howells added a paragraph about resolving death, and of his 87 year old father’s resolving it [MTHL 2: 801-2].
Isabel Lyon’s journal:
Santissima sang today for Mrs. Day & Alice Day & Miss Burbank& Miss Gordon & Miss McGinnis & Dorothea Gilder. Some of her notes were very, very beautiful, but she has the beginning of another cold, & so she was a little nervous. Dorothea Gilder was refreshing in a pretty new brown crepe de chine frock, she whirled around in a sweet naive way & asked us to admire it. We had been doing it without her pretty bidding. Saturday she sails in the Princess Irene for Gibraltar with Miss Cecilia Beaux.
Katie came home tonight from Patrick’s funeral. She said it was beautiful to see Mr. Clemens walk up the aisle of the Cathedral with his hand on Patrick’s coffin. (And I hope his spirit could see the honor done to his dear faithful body by his wonderful master.) She said the place was full of people, for it became known that Mr. Clemens was to be at the funeral & so homage was done to him. I hope Jesse Moore had a look at his beautiful face. Katie said that Mr. Clemens didn’t go to the cemetery [MTP TS 38-39].
Hill writes of Clara Clemens’ struggle to regain her singing form and of Isabel Lyon’s journal entry: “On February 28 she attempted to sing: ‘,’ Isabel commented [122].
Frederick A. Duneka wrote to Sam. “At the request of Miss Lyon, I am sending you a copy of the additions you wrote to ‘Adam’s Diary’ which are to be inserted at page 35. / We expect to have a dozen more pictures for ‘Eve’s Diary’ in two or three days. When they arrive, I shall let you know” [MTP].
Bernard F. Martin wrote on Senate Chamber, State of NY letterhead to acknowledge receipt of Sam’s letter. “I voted against Osteopathy last winter. I have not made up my mind as to my course on this bill mentioned by you” [MTP].
Albert Leopold Mills, Superintendent of West Point Military Academy, replied to thank Sam for his photograph sent Feb. 26. Mills hoped that Sam might come to see the many changes there [MTP]. Note: See Leon 250.
Susana Torres de Pastex wrote from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Sam. She was sending a parchment painted with “our great Mark Twain!” and asked that he might “write something on it” [MTP].
Leslie J. Tompkins wrote on Assembly Chamber State of NY letterhead to thank Sam for his suggestions concerning the Osteopathy Bill. Tompkins had not yet studied the bill. He feared his bills would be “buried in committee” [MTP].
W. Vernon wrote to Sam, sorry that a meeting was not to be, but “delighted however to hear that the probabilities in favor of a settlement of this business [along] lines we discussed in the fall are nearly attained.” He hoped to be back from England in the beginning of May [MTP].
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