Monday, August 5,1878 – Sam and Joe left by Baden-Baden rail to Achern, for a week-long tramp. He describes this first day in a letter to Livy:
“Allerheiligen, Aug. 5, 1878 8:30 p.m.
Livy darling, we had a rattling good time to-day, but we came very near being left at Baden-Baden, for instead of waiting in the waiting-room, we sat down on the platform to wait where the trains come in from the other direction. We sat there full ten minutes - and then all of a sudden it occurred to me that that was not the right place.
On the train the principal of the big English school at Nauheim of which Mr. Scheiding was a teacher, introduced himself to me, and then he mapped out our day for us for today and tomorrow and also drew a map and gave us directions how to proceed through Switzerland. He had his entire school with him, taking them on a prodigious trip through Switzerland - tickets for round trip ten dollars apiece. He has done this annually for ten years. We took a post carriage from Aachen to Otterhofen for 7 marks- stopped at the “Pflug” to drink beer, and saw that pretty girl again at a distance. Her father, mother, and two brothers received me like an ancient customer and sat down and talked as long as I had any German left. The big room was full of red-vested farmers the Gemeindrath of the district, with the Burgermeister at the head, drinking beer and talking public business. They had held an election and chosen a new member and had been drinking beer at his expense for several hours. It was intensely Black-forestry.
There was an Australian there a student from Stuttgart or somewhere and Joe told him who I was and he laid himself out to make our course plain for us - so I am certain we can't get lost between here and Heidelberg.
We walked the carriage road til we came to that place where one sees the foot path on the other side of the ravine, then we crossed over and took that. For a good while we were in a dense forest and judged we were lost, but met 2 native women who said we were all right. We fooled along and got there at 6 p.m. - ate supper, then followed down the ravine to the foot of the falls, then struck into a blind path to see where it would go to, and just about dark we fetched up at the Devil's Pulpit where you and I were on top of the hills. Then home. And now to bed, pretty sleepy & requiring no whiskey Joe sends love and I send a thousand times as much, my darling. S.L.C.”
I have not been able to locate a "Devil's Pulpit" anywhere near this location. Devil's Pulpit is usually identified with Teufelskanzel (of which there seem to be several), one of which is close by the path of the Clemens family carriage ride, but nowhere near Allerheiligen.
The Twainian Vol 39 No 1 (1980)
Noted in The Twainian that this letter was found in the same envelope as the previous letter dated August 5, 1878.
“Hotel Gennin.
Livy Darling, we had a lovely day - jogged right along, with a good horse and sensible driver - the last two hours right behind an open carriage filled with a pleasant German family - old gentleman and three pretty daughters. At table d’hote tonight, 3 dishes were enough for me, and then I bored along tediously through the bill of fare with a back-ache, not daring to get up and bow to the German family and leave. I meant to sit it through and make them get up (first) and do the bowing; but at last Joe took pity on me and said he would get up and drop them a curtsy and put me out of my misery. I was grateful. He got up and delivered a succession of frank and hearty bows, accompanying them with an atmosphere of goodfellowship which would have made even an English family surrender. Of course the Germans responded - so I got right up and they had to respond to my salaams too. So that was done.
We walked up a gorge and saw a tumbling waterfall which was nothing to Giessbach, but it made me resolve to drop you a line and urge you to go and see Giessbach illuminated. Don't fail - but take a long day’s rest, first. I love you, sweetheart. Saml.”
August 6 Tuesday – Clemens and Twichell walked from Allerheiligen to Oppenau, Germany, ten miles. They then took a train from Oppenau to Heidelberg “through clouds of dust”.
The Renchthal Railway, Oppenau to Appenweier, is not mentioned in the 1873 guidebook, but is found in the 1878 guidebook, so it was available for our travelers. From Appenweier to Heidelberg, Joe and Sam would take the Rhine Valley Railway.
August 7: “We have had a long & most enjoyable day in a carriage up to Hirschhorn & back with Smith”
Bædeker describes Hirschhorn: ... is a small town most picturesquely situated at the foot of a lofty sandstone rock crowned with the ancient castle of the famous barons of Hirschhorn, who founded the Carmelite monastery at the foot of the hill in 1406. The tastefully constructed chapel of the latter, with its pointed towers and numerous tombstones of the noble family of the founder, is still preserved. The Erschheimer Capelle, standing a considerable height above the Neckar, also contains tombstones of the family. Charming retrospect of the town and castle from the road to Neckarsteinach.
August 8 Thursday – Joe and Sam took the train up the river valley to Wimpfen. See Heidelberg to Heilbronn
August 9 and 10: See Neckar River Boat Trip
August 11 Sunday: See Return to Baden-Baden