March 24 Thursday — In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote to Katharine Boland Clemens (Mrs. James Ross Clemens) in Redlands, Calif.
Dear Cousin Katherine:
I am grateful for the prayers of those good nuns, & for yours; they have already answered themselves, in giving me a deep pleasure.
March 25 Friday - In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam finished his Mar. 24 to daughter Clara, “March 25. The portrait-postcard has just arrived from Geneva, & is very welcome, with its loving word from you, dear. / With heaps of love to you both / Marcus” [MTP].
Sam also wrote per Helen S. Allen to Albert B. Paine in Redding, Conn.
Dear Paine,
Mr. Allen has made the corrections in the check book suggested by you and now my book exactly corresponds with the pass book.
March 27 Sunday - Easter —- Clara Clemens Gabrilowitsch and Ossip Gabrilowitsch spent the day in Rome, Italy, having arrived there the previous Thursday, Mar. 24. The New York Times reported, p. C3, Apr. 3, dateline Rome Apr. 2, with sub-headline “Mark Twain’s Daughter Has Unsatisfactory Experience and Leaves Town.”
March 28 Monday - In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote per Helen S. Allen to Albert B. Paine in Redding, Conn.
Dear Paine,
I reenclose the check indorsed.
Enclosed is the small library of 44 volumes which you may buy & send to Mrs,.Allen let the books be sent through Mr. Allen’s agent Depew, and you may prepay all charges if you can manage it.
March 29 Tuesday - Albert Bigelow Paine wrote from Redding to Clemens: “Your news about the pain distresses me, but I am glad you are coming home. The change and the quiet of Stormfield will no doubt be beneficial. I hope Collier will let you be very quiet in N.Y. Edward Loomis whom I saw this morning hopes you will spend a few days with him also.” More discussion about AT&T stock: Paine bought another 100 shares [MTP].
March 31 Thursday - Albert Bigelow Paine wrote from Redding to Clemens: “Here is the March statement. It is a bit more complicated than the others, as I grouped the disbursements, but I guess you'll be able to work it out. Clara & Ossip write that they are afraid we are not getting enough to eat, from the amount of the food bill, but as I weigh about 193 and Katy is approaching 300 I consider their alarm unjustified”
April 1 Friday
April 1 ca. — In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote to Joe Goodman: “Come on and visit me once before we get so old we can’t hear each other swear” [MTP: San Francisco Examiner, 22 Apt. 1910 ].
April 4 Monday — Chauncey M. Depew wrote from Wash DC to ask Sam for an intro to a volume of his speeches, “no matter how short” [MTP]. Note: “Ans”
April 6 Wednesday— In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote to Charles T. Lark.
Dear Mr. Lark,
I have told Paine that I want the money derived from the sale of the farm, which I had given, but not conveyed, to my daughter Jean, to be used to erect a building for the Mark Twain Library of Redding, the building to be called the Jean L. Clemens Memorial Building.
April 9 Saturday — In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam inscribed his photo (1906 of him sitting up in bed reading) to Marion S. Allen (Mrs. William H. Allen). “To Mrs. William H. Allen, with the high esteem & guarded affection of / Mark Twain Bermuda, April 9/ 10.” [MTP].
Sam began reading Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928). Gribben quotes Paine:
April 10 Sunday — In Bermuda, Sam continued reading Jude the Obscure, by Thomas Hardy [ibid.]
April 11 Monday — In Bermuda, Sam finished reading Jude the Obscure, by Thomas Hardy [ibid.]
Robert J. Collier sent a telegram to Sam: “Will have motor meet you Thursday morning hope you are feeling better Sallie sends love / Collier”’ [MTP].
April 12 Tuesday — Sam left Bermuda bound for New York.
April 14 Thursday — Sam arrived back in New York aboard the Oceana. The New York Times, p. 6, Apr. 15, reported his feeble health:
MARK TWAIN BACK IN FEEBLE HEALTH
Distinguished Author Returns from Bermuda in Weakened State from Heart Trouble.
CARRIED OFF THE STEAMER
Physicians Meet Him and He is Taken Immediately to His Home at Redding, Conn.
April 15 Friday — The New York Times, p. 1, Apr. 16, datelined Redding Apr. 15, did a follow up article on Sam:
MARK TWAIN HOLDS HIS OWN.
Passes a Comfortable Day—Country Air Has Good Effect.
REDDING, Conn., April 15.—Samuel L. Clemens, (Mark Twain,) who arrived at his country home here last evening, fatigued from his long journey from Bermuda, and very ill, passed a comfortable day with no appreciable change in his condition and was holding his own pretty well. A second nurse arrived today.
April 16 Saturday — Andrew Carnegie wrote from NYC to Sam: “So glad you are reported better this morning gives me hopes you are to weather the storm & be spared to us a while longer—so be it....When you get real chatty again if you can not come down I’d like to make a pilgrimage to your shrine just to get a few sniffs of a real genuine work a day saint...” [MTP].
April 17 Sunday - Clara Clemens Gabrilowitsch and her husband arrived at Stormfield. This was reported by the New York Times, p. 6, Apr. 18:
MARK TWAIN SEEMS BETTER.
Arrival of Daughter from Abroad Brightens Sick Man Considerably.
April 18 Monday — The New York Times, Apr. 19, p. 9 datelined Apr. 18 Redding, announced improvement:
Mark Twain Improving.
REDDING, Conn., April 18.—Samuel L, Clemens, (Mark ‘Twain,) who is seriously ill with heart disease at his home near here had a restful night and was brighter and to all appearances better today. Dr. Robert H, Halsey who has been with Mr. Clemens since Saturday, went to New York this morning, seemingly satisfied with the progress Mr. Clemens was making.
April 19 Tuesday - The New York Times, p. 18, Apr. 20, datelined Apr. 19 Redding, announced:
Mark Twain a Little Weaker.
REDDING, Conn,, April 19.—Samuel L. Clemens, (Mark Twain,) who is here trying to regain his health after the severe attack of heart trouble that prostrated him on the voyage from Bermuda to New York last week, is a little weaker. Dr. Robert Halsey of New York issued a statement tonight as follows:
April 20 Wednesday — The New York Times, Apr. 21, datelined Apr. 20 Danbury, announced:
MARK TWAIN SINKING.
Author’s Condition is Critical, but He Is Expected to Live Through the Night.
Special to The New York Times.
April 21 Thursday — Sam began a note to daughter Clara which he evidently didn’t finish: “Dear / You didn’t tell me, but I have found out that you—well, I [rest illegible].”
At 7:30 a.m. Sam wrote a note to Albert B. Paine asking for his spectacles and for a glass pitcher. It was the last piece of writing he would ever do [MTP].
During the day, Albert B. Paine wrote for Sam to Dorothy Quick.
Dear Dorothy: