October 12 Monday – In Redding, Conn. Sam finished his Oct. 10 to Frances Nunnally.
Monday, Oct. 12—noon.
I find it no sin to be still lying in bed, for we have been having very diligent times entertaining ourselves Friday evening, Saturday & Sunday. Ashcroft & Capt. Dow of the Coronia (Clara’s ship) arrived Saturday afternoon; Clara followed in a later train, & Mr. Wark in a still later one! Our old servants were all gone, & in their places we had only our two Italians from the New York house with a new & untrained butler (a native youth of the neighborhood,) & with Clara’s maid & the Captain’s table-steward to join these forces. But no matter, we got along ever so well with the “simple life,” & had a good time. Oh, you should know the captain! The loveliest darlingest Irishman that ever was. We were all photographed many times, yesterday, in singles, couples & groups—which reminds me! When you come to dinner with the beautiful pink bows on the back of your head I wanted them, to hang up over your picture in my room when it comes from the developer in New York, but I resisted the temptation to steal them. Now for that resistance you ought to give them to me. I mean, when you are done with them, don’t throw them away, but remember me & send them. Will you? And in return I’ll send you a book —“Anne of Green Gables.” It came two days after you went away, & I was to read it & give it to Francis Wilson; but I was at once so taken with it that I thought I would send it to you & get another copy for him. I think Anne is a very pleasant child to know, & that the literary quality of the book is fine. You may not have time to read it, & in that case you mustn’t; but don’t waste it, dear—give it to some other girl, who appreciates good literature.
Your letter arrived an hour ago, & was very welcome; and so you are forgiven, now, for alarming me. But don’t you do it again! Next time, I will go straight down to Catonsville & preach you a sermon. Francesca, you will have a long holiday at Eastern—won’t you spend it here? Miss Lyon & I will gladly go to Catonsville & fetch you. Don’t make any other arrangement, please. / Lovingly / The Curator.
[in left margin of page 2: No there have been no more conspiracies, & I have warned Ashcroft that he mustn’t conspire again, for he isn’t a member.]
P. S. I know you are busy, & I don’t want to overtax you greatly, but indeed you must send me a line now & then, do you hear?
P. P. S. I am going to plant 12 Aquarium cedars—but I’ll tell you about it some time when there’s more room on my paper [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Nicholas Murray Butler, President of Columbia University.
Dear President Butler:
I gladly join you & enclose $100. The amount is shamefully small, but the smallness is compulsory, because the Knickerbocker Trust crippled me a year ago when I was committed past escape to house-builders & because the house has since cost me (of course) double what I had expected it to cost. If these calamities had not happened my check would not be of a sort to need this apology.
Thanking you for calling upon me, & for not overlooking me. / I am sincerely Yours … [MTP].
Sam also wrote to daughter Jean in Berlin, Germany.
Oh Jean dear, I am so glad you escaped the collision unhurt—& also glad that when those we love are in peril like that, we are spared the anguish & terror of knowing about it while it is happening. Clara was in a collision 15 months ago, I was in a collision a month later. “Three times & out!” The family record is complete, now.
Don’t you be fooled by the immense noise & racket the Presidential election is making—there is no substance to it & no great interest in it—it is just make-believe. No sane person wants Mr. Roosevelt’s shadow elected, & the apparent enthusiasm consists of wind mainly—there are a good many evidences that these things are so, & that deep down under the noise & the storm the national ocean is quiet, apathetic, & massively indifferent.
I’ve got a new stenographer, & she is competent & ladylike, & educated & agreeable; but I haven’t gone to work yet. But there’s a world of work for her to do, without my adding to it. By & by I shall get to work again—when the strong desire comes.
I do a long walk every day, & it keeps me finely fresh. Last night Tammany accompanied me— uninvited, but very welcome. She glided along over the meadows in the moonlight like a spirit. A beautiful one, too; for Tammany is much the handsomest cat on this planet. It isn’t my opinion alone—Clara thinks so too. And her two children & three grandchildren are a good deal like her, both physically & in rare qualities of mind.
I guess you are happy now, & certainly I do hope you are, & that your health is going to thrive & flourish. / With lots & lots of love & kisses, /Father [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Emilie R. Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers).
Yes, I was coming, & my arrangements were all made; but on the evening of the day that I telephoned you about it some guests arrived & broke it up. My idea was to fly over there & get a one-day glimpse of you before the next guests were due to arrive, & put in the said day persuading you & Henry H. to come out of your seclusion & pay us a visit.
I’ll try again, the first chance. By my calculation that may occur about Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, but it may possibly fail, because 3 guests who are booked to come have not given us their dates yet.
The reason we have company in the house all the time now, is because we never had any in New York during four winters, & I got nearly starved for human society, & am trying to catch up. I don’t ever want to be so lonesome & dreary again. I’ve grown young in these past three months of dissipation here. And I have left off drinking—it isn’t necessary now. Society & theology are sufficient for me.
Jean has arrived in Germany. Off the coast of Holland her ship sunk another ship in a fog. Clara was in collision fifteen months ago; I was in collision a month later. The family record is complete now.
The burglars scared off every servant we had. We brought up our two Italians from the New York house & are getting along plenty well enough, by help of a native or two, from the farmhouses around. We think we shan’t need city servants at all. I don’t like them anyway: they have to have facilities all the week for going to hell, & facilities every Sunday for grafting their way into the other place.
I am sending my love to you both & would desperately like to see you. /SLC [MTP].
Sam’s new guestbook:
Name Address Date Remarks
Mrs. Susan L. Crane Quarry Farm, Elmira, N.Y. October 12-15
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Mrs. Crane came today and charmed Benares by her beautiful and gentle presence” [MTP: IVL TS 71].
John Boyle, Jr. for the Republican County Committee wrote to ask if Clemens might address a meeting during “the present campaign in behalf of Gov. Hughes” [MTP]. Note: MLH: “Ans. Oct 14 08”
Julia H. Farwell for Miss C.E. Mason’s School, Tarrytown, NY wrote to ask Sam if he would “give us a lecture some Friday evening after the Christmas Holidays” [MTP].
William Hirschfeld, D.D.S. wrote from Paris, France to ask Sam’s opinion on an after-dinner speech he was to give on “France and America”—his idea to imagine Mark Twain was with them giving his views on life in Paris—what would Twain say? [MTP].
John M. Howells for Howells & Stokes wrote to Isabel (though catalogued as to Clemens) [MTP].
W&J Sloane, carpets, NYC sent a form-printed postcard requesting return of Ingrain samples sent on Aug. 24, 1908 [MTP].
Victor Speer for the Saturn Club, Buffalo, NY wrote to beg Sam to speak “on any subject acceptable to yourself” [MTP].