Tyringham Day By Day

September 28 Wednesday – Sam inscribed his photograph to an unidentified person: “Truly Yours / Mark Twain / Sept. 28/04” [MTP]. \

Sam wrote to Cécile Freese, letter not extant but referred to in Freese’s Oct. 18 [MTP].

September 29 Thursday – Gustavo Donati, Florence attorney, wrote Sam a letter in Italianabout the Dr. Kirch dispute [MTP]

September 3 Saturday – In Deal Beach, N.J. Sam wrote to Louise Brownell Saunders (Mrs. A.P. Saunders) in Clinton, N.Y. (Susy’s old paramour, now married):

Dear Mrs. Saunders: / I am grateful to have those hallowed names thus consecrated, & in reverence I bow my white head before them in their new place. How long they stood for the grace & beauty & joy of life—& now, how they stand for measureless pain & loss! We are come upon evil days: may they be few! / Affectionately [MTP].

September 30 Friday – Watch Tower Society sent one of their religious tracts to Sam, who wrote on the envelope: “Biblical trash” [MTP].

September 4 Sunday – In Deal, N.J. Sam wrote to daughter Clara (only the envelope survives) [MTP]. Note: Postmarked from Deal Beach, N.J Sept.4, 4 p.m., which shows he spent the night of Sept. 3 there, probably at Harvey’s home.

Sam returned early to N.Y.C. where he rode in the park with Clara [Sept. 4 to Crane].

Later he wrote from the Hotel Wolcott to Susan Crane.

September 5 Monday – Odoardo Luchini wrote to Sam, letter not extant but referred to in Sam’s Sept. 22 reply.

September 6 Tuesday – Sam wrote an aphorism to an unidentified person: “We ought not to use our morals week-days, it gets them out of repair for Sunday / Truly Yours / Mark Twain.” Underneath this Clara Clemens offered her own aphorism: “He who finds the serpent loses himself” [MTP: Lion Hart Autographs 2007 NYC Bookfairs]

September 7 Wednesday – Clara Clemens left N.Y.C. to spend a month or so resting in Connecticut. Sam described this in his Sept. 9 to Susan Crane:

I saw Clara off, day before yesterday, to a rest-cure in Connecticut. She is to shut up 4 or 5 weeks, in bed, without books, without companionship, writing no letters, reading no letters, seeing no one but physician & nurse—a horrid solitude, with grief and memory for company [MTP].

September 9 Friday – At the Hotel Wolcott In N.Y.C. Sam wrote to Susan Crane.

Susy dear, the first time I ever heard “In the Sweet By and Bye,” a street-organ played it near the St. Nicholas in December 1867; & that was the first time I ever saw Livy Langdon, a sweet young slender girl & beautiful. In our engagement-year some of us often sang it, evenings, along with other songs. Present:

• Father, †
• Mother, †
• Yourself,
• Theodore, †
• Mr. Slee, †
• Hattie Lewis,
• Livy Langdon †

How many are gone!