November 7, 1909 Sunday

November 7 Sunday — In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Beatrice M. Benjamin on her wedding day.

Dear Beatrice:

After all, I have to give it up, & ask you to convey my thanks & regrets to your mother & Mrs. Coe, whose kind messages have reached me. I do not get rid of that malady’s assaults. If I should have one at the wedding I should get more than my share of attention, for I should have to lie down in a pew. It is a great, a very very great disappointment to me; yet in a way it is one of those ill winds that partly justify themselves by blowing modified compensations. If I should go down to see you off I should naturally have to stay over a day, & see my married daughter off too, whereas at bottom I do not wish to do that, as the chances are against my ever seeing her again, for the reason that she will be in Europe a long while, & I am not willing to go abroad again—at least until I can go sound.

In truth I’ve no business to want to see you off—on the supreme stage of the tragedy of life; but I do, I can’t help it. However, I think you & your “Alex” are booked for a happy & prosperous voyage, & that is a cheery thought for us that are left behind on the pier.

I have hid a dream—a curious one & interesting; a dream in 2 Acts, Principal feature of the first Act, the wedding; principal feature of the other Act, myself, Your Act will come true anyway, & my act will come true if it does come true, otherwise it won’t. I can’t tell yet. According to the nature of dreams, my half of this one will come true if I tell it before the wedding. I think I won’t. But I will tell it the first time you & your other half come to see me, or by granted privilege I go to see you.

It was a lovely letter you wrote me from Atlantic City, & was just like yourself. I think your “Alex” is a man to be envied; indeed I know it.

Affectionately yours as from the earliest days, / ... [MTP]. Note: Beatrice’s incoming not extant.

Sam also wrote to Margery H. Clinton in Tuxedo Park, N.Y.

Dear Plumber: / I wish you & Miss Rogers would come & pay us that visit. I will promise to praise the plumbing every day, no matter what condition it is in. I am doing it now, although the billiard table is not plumb, & the balls always roll down to sou-west, no matter which way they start.

Come—name a day! and send me word, / Affectionately / ... [MTP].

Sam also replied to the Nov. 5 from William Dean Howells.

Dear Howells:
This week being occupied by Joe, can’t you try the coming one, you & Mildred? You choose the date & name it; then if there is anything in the way, Jean & I can say so & propose another one. Not necessarily a Saturday—any day is good, here. And stay several days if you can spare the time.

This is wonderful weather; I hope it will last.

Mrs. Howells was splendidly heroic, A man couldn’t have done that, & wouldn’t; he would have advertised it. It takes a woman to do such things. I remember Dean Sage’s wife doing similarly, a great many years ago. She waited till Dean was out of reach, up on the Restigouche, then she sent for the surgeon & had herself carved up, & kept it from Dean until he got back home.

A stranger came, half an hour ago. I do not quite make out what strangers are for. It would have been so much better for us all if this one had been caught by mistake 19 centuries ago & crucified. Then the other one would have gone free, & that would have had pleasant results for everybody. If Mrs. Eddy would try martyrdom it would make her cult permanent; & besides, I would be her friend.

That stranger but never mind, let him go; he will die some day. Damn him he could have done it here if he had had any spirit of accommodation in him. / Yours ever / Mark [MTP; MTHL 2: 849}.

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