September 14 Sunday – In York Harbor, Maine : Sam’s notebook: “Young Mercer was at Cadwalader’s—he is to produce the historical ceramics for the new capitol at Harrisburg [Pa.]” [NB 45 TS 27]. Note: Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930), archeologist, tile-maker, designer, made tiles used in the floor of the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
York Harbor DBD
September 15 Monday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Frederick A. Duneka.
My wife being ill, I have been—in literary matters—helpless all these weeks. I have no editor—no censor. I tried that Hell or Heaven on Howells, & he left me with the impression that it was all right—whereas, it wasn’t.
September 16 Tuesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to an unidentified man, saying that while he had no photographs of himself at hand, he sent two of their temporary house in Riverdale [MTP].
Sam’s notebook “Corrected original MS of Heaven & Hell & mailed it. Jean is typing ‘The Belated Russian Passport’” [NB 45 TS 27].
September 18 Thursday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam began a letter to H.H. Rogers that he added a PS to on Sept. 19. The doctors had vetoed a sea voyage to Riverdale for Livy, so the use of the Kanawha for such a trip was out. Sam thought it was a mistake but he wrote he “mustn’t venture the responsibility” of saying so. He wished that Jonas Henrik Kellgren could have been there when Livy was stricken on Aug.
September 19 Friday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Frederick A. Duneka of Harper’s.
September 20 Saturday – In York Harbor, Maine, Livy had a relapse. A telegram was sent to a doctor.
Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.
September 21 Sunday – yesterday & came to-day & Wednesday” [NB 45 TS 27]. treatments by Helmer.
In York Harbor, Maine: Sam’s notebook: “Dr. Helmer was telegraphed for treated the patient. / Will come again Tuesday night from New York & treat her Note: Livy’s medical doctors felt she must wait and gather strength for any future
September 22 Monday – In York Harbor, Maine: Sam’s notebook: “MONDAY, Sept. 22. Our dear prisoner is where she is through overwork—day & night devotion to the children & me. We did not know how to value it. We know now. / On Sunday the 21st Dr. Helmer came from Vermont. Gave Livy a severe treatment. / Dr. Allen came yesterday & raised our spirits. A marked change followed. / Dr. Putnam this morning. Said no sort of reason she should not become as well as before. He Ordered a nurse & she came.
September 23 Tuesday – In York Harbor, Maine: a very low day for Livy, perhaps her worst [MTHL 2: 745n2]. Sam’s notebook : “Very high pulse. They have telegraphed Helmer (Dr. Hawke’s advice) not to come ‘for a few days.’ This is to ‘give the patient time to gather strength to bear the treatment’ (It was his treatment that enabled her to take food) I stand alone in this opinion. We are a drifting ship without a captain. We survive by accident. / Dr.
September 24 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to William Dean Howells.
September 25 Thursday – In York Harbor, Maine: Sam’s notebook: “1.30 Lunch, Mr. Mercer’s, to meet Mrs. Bell & Mrs. Pratt. I could not make the engagement positive. (Later, I went.) / Helmer’s treatment left Livy sore & lame & she slept but little, the night. She is weak & frail—but she has been that for 45 days” [NB 45 TS 28]. Note: Henry Chapman Mercer; see Sept. 14 entry.
September 26 Friday – In York Harbor, Maine: Sam’s notebook: “Miss Gourange (nurse) has full charge. Quiet is maintained—good results. / I sleep at Millard Sewall’s these past two nights. / Clara does not recover from the panic of Tuesday when she believed her mother was near the end & sent me to summon Boston experts” [NB 45 TS 28].
September 27 Saturday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Ida Langdon.
Livy & I wish to thank you ever so much for selecting the silver; it was dear & good of you, & lovely—all of which you always are.
September 28 Sunday – In York Harbor, Maine: Sam’s notebook : “Let me talk with Mercer & didn’t tell me the h k f was on the door. / Thunder overhed—kind of rolling-pin. / Tin pan falls—racket. / Didn’t watch for beef steak / 59 days (8 ½ weeks) since Jean had any trouble. The longest interval, by 2 weeks, in 5 years. / And poor Livy, the real victim, is prostrate when all in justice she ought to be up & well & rejoicing. / We are again uneasy about her” [NB 45 TS 28-9].
September 29 Monday – In York Harbor, Maine: Sam’s notebook: “New nurse came last night, the other one went this morning. Clara discharged the one & hired the other on her own motion. / Clara went to Boston in the deluge at 10 a.m., to consult Dr. Putnam. Found that Hawkes had done nothing by telephone nor sent the analysis” [NB 45 TS 29].
Clara Clemens hired trained nurse Margaret Garrety [MTHHR 510n4; Sept. 30 to Twichell].
September 30 Tuesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam replied to Joe Twichell’s Sept. 28.
We think the above will be our address for only a week longer, but there’s no certainty. It depends on Livy’s picking up strength enough in that time to qualify her to sit up 30 minutes in a chair without harm. She sat up ten, yesterday. We have to wait & see.
We show her some of the letters, but not those that would stir her; she can’t see yours yet, but I will tell her it is here.
October, early – Isabel Van Kleek Lyon began her employment with the Clemens family early in the month. Initially, Lyon was to serve as Livy’s secretary, but very soon took on many other duties for Clara and Sam, including dictation, as well as chaperone for Jean and Clara at social functions. Lyon had worked as governess for the Franklin G. Whitmore family until late 1890, when she took a job with the Charles Edmund Dana family of Philadelphia.
October 1 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Theodore Weld Stanton in N.Y.C.
“Welcome home! / Mrs. Clemens is slowly recovering from a long & wasting illness, but we believe that a fortnight hence we shall be able to move her to Riverdale, where I shall hope to see you when you can run up” [MTP].
October 2 Thursday – In York Harbor, Maine: Sam’s notebook : “Tax-bill, dated July 24, sent from Tarrytown collector’s office Oct. 1. Payable Oct. 31 or 12% added. …$588.02 / No word from Griffin these 2 months more” [NB 45 TS 29]. Note: Henry C. Griffin was the attorney hired to get the taxes on the Tarrytown house lowered to be more in line with the purchase price.
October 3 Friday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to William Dean Howells.
It is a charming book, & perfectly true. It ought to reproach me, for I am making Huck Finn tell things that are perfectly true, this last week or two. They are true, but with that qualification: he exaggerates; you don’t. Still, I have to keep him as he was, & he was an exaggeration from the beginning.
October 4 Saturday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore asking for a “supply of lecture-declinations”; he advised they wouldn’t be able to “get away for two or three weeks—the improvement [in Livy] is very slow” [MTP].
October 5 Sunday – In York Harbor, Maine: Sam’s notebook: “Sent winter-fuel letter (Secy Treasury) to Duneka for Weekly” [NB 45 TS 29]. Note: see the letter in Oct. 3, 1901 entry—there is some doubt about when it was actually written.
October 6 Monday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Frederick A. Duneka.
“Oh, come, now, it is irreligious, the way you accept articles & postpone the payment. When you come to keep four doctors & two trained nurses all summer, with a war-price specialist from Boston now & then as an additional strain on your bank balance you will reform & follow custom” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore.
October 7 Tuesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Jennie Starkey that it was Bill Nye who said it, though she had “his idea but not his phrasing” [MTP: Seven Gables Bookshop, Item 69]. Note: the famous line attributed most often to Mark Twain but which he laid at Nye’s feet was: “Wagner’s music is better than it sounds.” See MTA 1: 338.
Gertrude Swain wrote from Greeley, Neb. to Sam:
Dear Mr. Twain:
October 8 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to Frank Bliss.
If there is no Harper obstruction, or other thing in the way, I am willing that you shall newly issue the “Library of Humor” and pay me 4% as proposed Provided, that you will not object to my issuing a low-priced book when I want to. I have two books half finished, which I may wish to publish at a dollar each—I have had that thought in my head [MTP].