August 23 Sunday – Thomas Kinnicut Beecher, minister of the Park Church in Elmira, conducted the funeral of Olivia Susan (Susy) Clemens in the Langdon home. Susy was laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira. Livy, Jean, and Clara Clemens were all at the graveside, along with Sue Crane and members of the Langdon clan. Sam was unable to arrive in time, and so remained in Guildford, England. Clara recalled the event:

The funeral services took place in the Langdon home in Elmira, where we were shown tender sympathy and care. Susy was laid to rest in the cemetery we used to visit as children, because of its beautiful trees and tranquility [MFMT 172].

In 1904 Livy would be interred on one side of Susy and in 1909 Jean on the other. Susy’s tombstone bears lines from poet Robert Richardson:

“WARM SUMMER SUN 
SHINE KINDLY HERE, 
WARM SOUTHERN WIND 
BLOW SOFTLY HERE. 
GREEN SOD ABOVE 
LIE LIGHT, LIE LIGHT — 
GOOD NIGHT, DEAR HEART, 
GOOD NIGHT, GOOD NIGHT”

[Jerome and Whisbey 165; Gribben 577].

Note: Paine writes they found these lines in Australia, and at first did not know the name of the poet, which was added to the tombstone later [MTB 1024]. Gribben outlines how Sam modified the lines.