October 9 Friday – At the Grosvenor Hotel in N.Y.C. Sam wrote an aphorism to Alfred E. Ann: “There is no sadder sight than a young pessimist—except an old optimist. / Truly Yours / Mark Twain. / Oct. 9/03” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Joe Goodman in Alameda, Calif.
The cutting has just arrived. Poor Little Ward! What a silly invention life is—& how totally without dignity, & how tragically grotesque. What a mean & heartless crime the begetters of a child commit. Murder is fine & noble compared to it.
Livy is getting along pretty well. The trained nurse is taking a holiday after a year & 3 days’ constant service, & I am night-nurse myself, now. I leave the folding-doors ajar (we are in that ground-floor suite), & she sleeps so well that she hardly ever has to call me. This is a vast improvement over August. We have actually secured a villa at last! (I mean, for sure). The news came by cable day before yesterday. I lost no time in paying my steamer-fares. We sail Oct 24. As soon as I learn the name I will tell you—but if I forget, “Mark Twain, Florence” is address enough. We must keep in touch the rest of the pilgrimage [MTP]. Note: “Little Ward” was Lewis P. Ward, compositor for the Alta California in 1864 and a well known gymnast at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. For a time Ward and Sam were roommates (see entries on Ward in Vol. I). On Oct. 2, Joe sent Ward’s obituary, though only the env. survives; see entry.
Sam also wrote to Joe Twichell.
Yours of yesterday has just arrived, & I have told Livy & she joins us in saying Good! The 19th it is! So we shall expect you & Harmony. I don’t suppose you can see Livy, but anyway it will do her heaps of good to know you are near by & under the same roof. You’ll see Clara & Jean & me. Also Katy. Katy goes to Italy with us. We have got a villa at last possession given Nov. 1. The news came by cable day before yesterday; & the price of the villa made Livy swear; but it is the first time in over 2 weeks, & is easily forgiven. I paid the steamer-fares at once [MTP].