September 1 Tuesday – At Quarry Farm in Elmira, N.Y. Sam wrote to Mark Bennett of the World’s Fair offices, St. Louis.
Your kind favor of August 18 brings a weight of years down upon my head. Those two names carry me back thirty-two years—Hank Monk and Yerington. I think I was present when the watch was given to Monk, but one cannot be very sure of things that happened in such ancient times. I am only sure that I knew Monk a little, & that I knew Mr. Yerington’s father well. I made one trip with Monk in that old stage; I wish I could be in St. Louis on my day next June & make one with his ghost [MTP]. Note: See Sept. 17 entry, containing an article by the Washington Times which includes this portion and the rest of Sam’s letter. For Hank Monk references, see Vol. I.
Sam also wrote to Edward W. Bok.
There is a precision, a vividness & a brilliancy about these photographs which I have not encountered in any photographs before—certainly not in so remarkable a degree. Surely Mr. Marr works with a camera of his own invention.
You have sent Mrs. Clemens such a generous supply of examples that I supposed I could borrow a couple for friends of mine, but I have not succeeded. So I turn to you. And I beg that you will send a copy of Lewis & me standing in front of the porch steps to each of these young ladies: [Sam then listed Miss Muriel Pears and Mrs. Helene Picard with the note that he’d never seen them but had “corresponded for years” [MTP]. Note: Thomas E. Marr, Boston photographer took a series of pictures of Mark Twain in Elmira for Ladies’ Home Journal. See July 17 and 18; also Nov. 1903.
Sam also wrote to William Webster Ellsworth, enclosing a subscription to a fund for the widow of James B. Pond. Pond died on June 21 after a leg amputation [MTP].
Sam also wrote to George Walbridge Perkins, Sr..
Enclosed please find $35, which is the hay-money I tried to smouch, but was warned in a dream & desisted.
Mrs. Clemens is still progressing. We send our kindest regards to you & to Mrs. Perkins, with our cordial acknowledgments of your many kindness to us.
We mourn Mr. Dodge as we have seldom mourned any one, whether friend or relative [MTP]. Note: See Aug. 1 to Perkins on the hay issue. See Aug. 13 for funeral of William E. Dodge, Riverdale neighbor.
Sam also wrote to Joe Twichell.
Livy sends “bushels and bushels of love” to you people, & says she sometimes feels well & sometimes does not (I grieve to say that to-day she does not), but she hopes to be well enough in New York to be able to see you & Harmony & say good bye. We land there Oct. 5, Hotel Grosvenor, 5th ave & 10th street, & I do hope & expect that by then she will be in greatly improved health and strength. We sail Oct. 24.
I feel perfectly sure Livy can see you in New York—she could not go away happy without that good-bye kiss. She is dearer & dearer all the time—if such a thing can be possible, considering that she was always dear to the limit. Indeed that kiss must be arranged for—for all the sakes concerned.
I was on hand at all the races, barring to-day’s. I was in New York the whole month under wearing & hateful compulsion of business, & the races were a blessed rest & diversion for me. I must go back soon & stay a few more days.
With lots of love to all of you, … [MTP]. Note: The U.S. yacht Reliance won three straight races frm the British challenger Shamrock III. The international yacht races ran from Aug. 20 to Sept. 3.
William W. Denslow wrote to Sam [MTP: Parke-Bernet Galleries Sale 248 Jan 15-16, 1941]. No text available.