January 20 Monday – The Clemenses left Riverdale, N.Y. and traveled by train to Elmira, where they were met with sleighs by Charles J. and Ida Langdon; and then on to Quarry Farm outside of town. There, Sam began a letter to daughter Clara that Livy added to on Jan. 21.

Clara dear, Mrs. Clemens is pretty well fagged out, & is lying on the sofa here in the parlor gossiping with Mrs. S. Crane, & has instructed me to write you & say Jean was bad all day long, & until the middle of dinner this evening. She lay in the stateroom on the train all the journey, & was persistently absent. The day’s anxiety,—not the journey—is what has made your mother so tired; for the day was beautiful & bright, the spread of fields & hills pure white with unmarred snow, the car nearly empty, & delightfully quiet. Jean is very nearly herself, now, & is out talking with the servants. The pallor in her face has been replaced by color. She is out there talking about the dog. She has no commerce with me—I am not yet forgiven about the Dog.

This region is sumptuously clothed in snow, & is very beautiful under the moonlight; the town-lights make as fine a picture as ever. The yard glows with intense sparks, fascinating to the eye & the spirit—facets of snow smitten by the moonbeams. Mrs. Crane & Mrs. Clemens your mother are still gossiping & happy— skimming the Elmirians.

Uncle Charley & Aunt Ida received us at the station with a very heart-warming welcome. We came up the hill in gubernatorial style in fine sleighs [MTP].