To The Person Sitting in Darkness: Day By Day

September 21 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “See Col. Fairchild. / [Horiz. Line separator] / Clara 249 E. 32d / [Horiz. Line separator] / Metropolitan Museum (Sloane) / Photo for Chi. Tribune / [Horiz. Line separator] / Ties, white & black” [NB 46 TS 24]. Note: appears to be duties crossed off as completed.

September 22 Sunday – The Clemens family was in Elmira.

Sam wrote to C.F. Moberly Bell, acknowledging with gratitude his sending Dr. George Ernest Morrison’s (1862 -1920) book, likely: An Australian in China (1895). Morrison was a correspondent for the London Times in Peking [MTP]. Note: see Gribben’s listing on Morrison, p. 487.

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 22 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “No saddling of magazines onto the sets [collected works] / Was always sorry I corrected the Prairie Belle, but Hay asked me” [NB 46 TS 24]. Note: John Hay’s poem, first published in: Jim Bludso of the Prairie Belle, and Little Breeches. With Illustrations by S. Eytinge, Jr. Boston: James R. Osgood & Co., 1871.

September 23 Monday – The Clemens family was in Elmira.

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 23 Wednesday – At Quarry Farm in Elmira, N.Y. Livy answered Sam’s Sept. 20 in N.Y.C.

September 24 Tuesday – The Clemens family was in Elmira, likely at Quarry Farm. Sam wrote to

H.H Rogers:

We shall reach town Thursday Evening—Grosvenor hotel.

If you get the umbrella, don’t send it there, let the Guaranty Trust take care of it for a day or two—get a check for it.

September 24 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to William Dean Howells.

September 24 Thursday – In the evening at the Grosvenor Hotel in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to daughter Clara at 249 E. 32nd St., N.Y.

Benny dear, I am very sorry I missed you—it was too bad that you had your trip for nothing. You mustn’t do that. You must step to the nearest telephone station & pay 10 cents & ask the hotel if I am in.

I am not expecting to get away for a day or two yet. I may be mistaken—I hope & pray I am. I hope to get up to see you.

September 25 Wednesday – In Elmira, N.Y. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

The trouble with Tom Reed is that he don’t belong to no church & ain’t got no sympathy with suffering. How much would they allow us on an umbrella-display at the Pan-American?

You can have half [MTHHR 473]. Note: a continuation of the “missing umbrella” in-joke.

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 25 Friday – At the Grosvenor Hotel in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to Miss Jones (not further identified): “Mrs. Clemens & I thought that maybe these books of mine might come handy some time or other when times are slack & nothing else going on, & so we beg to offer them to you with our very best wishes & heartiest congratulations” [MTP]. Note: this had been misdated as 1891.

September 26 Thursday – The Clemens family left Elmira and returned to New York, where, at the Grosvenor Hotel, N.Y. at midnight, Sam wrote a postcard to H.H. Rogers.

“Langdon hopes to be able to come.  “Yesterday evening I wrote & invited Twichell. / SLC / I’m coming” [MTHHR 474].

Note: Sam and H.H. Rogers were planning to witness the third of three races in the America’s Cup Sept. 28 to Oct. 4. from Kanawha. See Joe’s answer, Sept. 27 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 26 Saturday – At Quarry Farm in Elmira, N.Y. Livy wrote for Sam wrote to William V. Alexander: “As Mr Clemens is in New York for a few days I will answer your note regarding the photo’s Mr Clemens did make a mistake in asking for two copies of 8366 he only desires one. I believe there is no other that he wishes to put in its place. Thanking you for calling Mr Clemens attention to the mistake …” [MTP].

September 27 Friday – Joe Twichell wrote to Sam, answering his invitation to join the cruise to view the “No. 3” boat race:

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 28 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Monday, Sept. 28/03. Talk with Duneka (Harper & Brothers.) If ever a publisher gets a non-terminable contract with an author, that author can never buy his freedom from that slavery on any terms. A publisher is by nature so low & vile that he—that he—well from the bottom of my heart I wish all publishers were in hell. / And particularly: / Elisha Bliss (already there);” [NB 46 TS 23-24].

September 29 Sunday – At the Grosvenor Hotel, N.Y. Sam wrote (on the margins of Twichell’s Sept. 27 letter) to H.H. Rogers: “Dear Mr. Rogers: I shall try to get in, tomorrow or Tuesday & telegraph Twichell what day to come, & what hour in the morning, & whether at West 35th st, or where” [MTHHR 474-5]. Note: this about viewing the America’s Cup third heat on Oct. 4.

Sam also wrote to Joe Twichell.

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 3 Tuesday – Sam was writing “The Double-Barrelled Detective Story,” averaging eighteen pages per day between Aug. 29 and Sept. 6 [Sept. 6 to Rogers].

September 3 Wednesday – In York Harbor, Maine: Sam’s notebook: “Always Mr. Rogers keeps his yacht (Kanawha) in commission & ready to fly here & take us to Riverdale on telegraphic notice” [NB 45 TS 25].

Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

September 3 Thursday – At Quarry Farm in Elmira, N.Y. Sam wrote to Will Larrymore Smedley in Chatauqua, N.Y.

“The picture has just arrived from Riverdale. It was received by the family with an explosion of Exquisite! exquisite!’ all down the line—& certainly if you ever owed me anything on benefits conferred, the account is more than squared” [MTP]. Note: Smedley had been allowed to illustrate a new edition of GA, perhaps by recommendation from Sam. See May 30 and Aug. 29.