November 16 Tuesday – Sam finished the letter to Livy. Later that evening he lectured in Holyoke, Mass.  

Livy Darling—

I got your little letter a while ago & am therefore glad & happy—happier & more & more grateful for your love with every day that goes over my head. I would not know what to do or whither to turn to give life a value if I were to lose my darling now. I am so wrapped up in you, I so live in you, that to lose you would be equivalent to losing life itself.

I left Boston without baggage, thinking I would go back there from Norwich the same night—but the trains left at such inconvenient hours that I went from there to Clinton—found a similar state of things — came straight here. But as I am clear out of shirts (wore this one yesterday) I shall take an early train to Boston tomorrow before I go to Danvers.

Loving kisses, darling.

Sam.

P. S.—The photograph was Josh Billings.

This is the way to spell a certain word, little sweetheart—“pretty”—do you see, honey? I have not looked to see whether any others are misspelt or not, because I don’t care whether they are or not—but that one just happened to fall under my eye at this moment.

I am so dead stupid, from getting up so early this morning, that I fairly dread going on that stage to-night. Come, my darling, check that cold immediately, & look out for the sore throat—don’t you dare to go out with only one shawl.

I cured my cold with two long & severe Turkish baths taken in immediate succession, with cold shower baths between—next morning I was entirely well. /   Sam [MTL 3: 396-7].