November 30 Monday – Sam’s 73rd Birthday. The New York Times, Dec. 1, p.1 “Mark Twain is 73.” announced that Sam passed his birthday “quietly at his home…As was his custom, Mr. Clemens took his morning ride, passing the remainder of the day with his household.”
In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to daughter Jean in Berlin, Germany.
Jean dear, I have been floundering around in my 74th year for half a dozen hours now, yet I dont seem to be any older than usual. It is a very good day for an old birthday: mild & gentle & autumnish & subdued as to color in woods & sky. But there do be blue jays flocking & flashing around, & I think they are out of season & will warn them off the place. No congratulations came till this morning—hen even foreign ones arrived timed to the very day. Three from England. Ocean mails move accurately now-a-days.
The burglary scared away every servant we had. And we are very glad of it, for we are ever so much better off than we have ever been before, since the days when you were a little child in Hartford. We have 3 native Americans from the farms around, & 3 Italians—two inside & the other out: the insiders are Theresa & her husband & they can’t be improved upon any where.
Jean dear, Miss Lyon will send you a trifle of Xmas money—which is better I reckon, than for me to try to select something for you—it would be sure to be pipes or cigars, or some other thing that is precious in my eyes, but which you would not much care for.
I’ve got a mechanical “vibrator,” & we abolish indigestions, sick headaches, & such things in two minutes with it.
Merry Christmas, dear heart, & lots & lots of love / Father.
P. S. Give my very kindest regards to Excellenz von Versen. Oh, we had a darling visit from Dr. Jim Clemens some weeks ago. He was perfectly delightful. Jean, he is much too big a man for St. Louis. New York is better suited to the size of his brain & his scientific attainments [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Franz (“Frank”) Nickolous Otremba (1851-1910), woodcarver in Hawaii.
Mr. F. N. Otremba:
The mantel is a charmingly conceived & admirably executed work of art, & I am grateful to you for the valued compliment conveyed to me in the labor of heart & hand & brain which you have put upon it. It is worthy of the choicest place in the house, & it has it. I wish also to thank you, & cordially, for the rare woods & for the beautiful bread-fruit plaque. / Sincerely yours [enclosure, postcard with message written across top of photograph of Stormfield:]
*This cross indicates one of the billiard-room windows. [at bottom left:] “Stormfield” [MTP].
Insert: chair made for Twain by F.N. Otremba
Note: Franz Nickolous Otrembathis from Rarevictorian.com website: Otremba was commissioned by the Hawaii Promotion Committee to carve a mantel for Mark Twain’s new home, “Stormfield” in 1908. The job cost $300 and at the time was described as “one of the handsomest pieces of furniture ever made in the Islands”. It was installed in the author’s billiard room on his 73rd birthday. A chair was also carved by Otremba for Twain but he had a choice between the mantel and the chair and selected the mantel. The chair, pictured to the right, stayed in Hawaii, apparently with the Otremba family [Note: see picture of the Mantel in Oct. 31 entry. Otremba is most remembered for the popular and heroic bronze leaf statue of Kamehameha the Great, unveiled in 1883. It is currently seen in the opening of the popular TV show, Hawaii Five-O].
Sam also wrote to an unidentified person.
I like the Joan of Arc best of all my books; & it is the best, I know it perfectly well. And besides, it furnished me seven times the pleasure afforded me by any of the others: 12 years of preparation & 2 years of writing. The others needed no preparation, & got none. / Mark Twain [MTP].
Sam also inscribed a copy of Eve’s Diary to Elizabeth Wallace: “To / Betsy Wallace / from /Affectionately / The Author. / Stormfield, / Nov. 30, 1908. / At Eve’s Grave. / Adam: ‘Wheresoever so she was, there was Eden.’ (last page.)” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Harry P. Wood of the Hawaii Promotion Committee.
Dear Mr Wood
The beautiful mantel was put in its place an hour ago, & its friendly “Aloha” was the first uttered greeting my 73d birthday received. It is rich in color, rich in quality, & rich in decoration, therefore it exactly harmonises with the taste for such things which was born in me & which I have seldom been able to indulge to my content. It will be a great pleasure to me, daily renewed, to have under my eye this lovely reminder of the loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean, & I beg to thank the Committee for providing me that pleasure. / Sincerely Yours / … [MTP: Walter Frear’s 1947 Mark Twain and Hawaii, facing p. 243]. Note: this is the first extant letter from Redding headed, “Stormfield Redding Connecticut”.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Today Betsy went back to Chicago” [MTP: IVL TS 81]. Note: Elizabeth Wallace.
Ethelinde C. Johnson wrote blessings from Auburn, Maine to relate some of her life stories [MTP].
New York World wrote a short slip and birthday wish to Clemens [MTP].
Frederick T. Leigh, Treasurer of Harpers, sent a royalty statement (not in file) and best wishes [MTP].
Abram S. Stratton from Greensburg, Indiana sent his poem about Twain’s birthday [MTP].
November 30 after – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Frederick A. Duneka.
Dear Mr. Duneka:
I was just finishing a short story when you were here. I finished it to-day:
“The International Lightning-Insurance Trust.”
A Love Story
It will make 8 or 9 pages of the Monthly, I reckon. It has love in it, & piety, & retribution, & distribution, & all those things.
When do you want it? … [MTP].