August 15 Thursday – In Tuxedo Park, N.Y. Sam finished his Aug.11th to Dorothy Quick in Plainfield, N.J.

Thursday, 15 I have been away several days, but am home again—and no Dorothy! And so I go mourning around, like an old cat that’s lost her kitten. But you are coming soon again, & that is large comfort to me. Youare the best reader, of your age, I have yet encountered; & when I finish teaching you & drilling you you will read still better than you do now. It’s a great accomplishment, a very great & rare accomplishment, & I’m the expert that knows how to teach it! There’ll be grand times in my class of one pupil, Dorothy dear!

Thank you for your letter [not extant], which was very sweet & welcome. I am glad you arrived safe—you & the other butterflies. And the turtle with the warlike name.

A wonderful thing has happened here. You remember the central bed of nasturtiums—the round one. Well, Miss Lyon planted some seeds there, & raised a family of rabbits. She asked me to tell you that. The rest is under the nasturtiums in the middle of the bed. There are 3 little rabbits, & they are about the size of mice. Their eyes are not open yet. I hope they will still be there when you come. I have named them Dorothy. One name is plenty for all of them, they are so little.

Hugs & kisses—well, I am sending them—along with the love of your most devoted admirer & friend [MTAq 51].

Sam also wrote to Emma Gertrude Quick, Dorothy’s mother.

It gives me great pleasure to know that Dorothy was happy here, & not homesick. I had no anxiety but the fear that she might fall a prey to nostalgia in spite of our best efforts to save her from it. It is a terrible malady, I remember the deep misery of it after all these 60 years & more.

Every day & every hour of her brief stay, Dorothy was a delight & a blessing, & every night it cost me a pang to let her go to bed. Hers is a most beautiful & lovable character, & she will never lack for adoring friends while she lives.

I thank you for lending her to me, & am grateful that you are going to lend her to me again. I am looking forward to the time. We want her as soon as she can be spared after the 2d of September. Miss Lyon will meet her anywhere you say & escort her.

With the kindest regards— [MTP].

Emilie R. Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers) wrote to Sam.

I have just received your letter and we are all disappointed that you will not favor us. I read the letter to Mr Rogers and he could not quite understand as to what you call your colossal blunder. He bids me say that, as he recalls the matter of Ex President Cleveland’s visit to Jamestown, it was understood that you were to have the Kanawha to invite Mr Cleveland for the trip, and the boat was to be in Harry’s command. He understands that now Mr Cleveland is unable to make the trip, and you have invited Mr Choate instead. That arrangement has his entire sanction, on one condition, and that this you will understand that Mr Choate will accept. Of course the people of Jamestown understood that you were going to invite Mr Cleveland, and it would be proper to confer with them as to the substitution of Mr. Choate. That is the primal thing.

Following it must be the acceptance of Mr Choate without any reservation or qualification. Between us Mr Rogers is of the opinion that Mr Choate might hesitate about going on Mr. Rogers’ boat. That settled the whole thing is very clear. You are at liberty to go on and make the arrangements. Mr. Rogers joins me in love and the family all unite in kindest messages [MTHHR 632-3]. Note: text footnote points out that Choate and Rogers “were not on good terms.”

Journal of Education ran an anonymous article, “Mark Twain in Academic Robes,” p. 150-1. Tenney: “A general account of MT’s development and recognition as a writer, providing no new information; sketchy, not documented, and not wholly accurate” [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Third Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1979 p. 191].