Vol 3 Section 0759

1902                                                                            ⁷⁰¹

 

We are leaving, now, to spend the summer in the little town of York Harbor, Maine. I was expecting to come to England in August & meet my eldest daughter (who is on the Continent) & fetch her home; but she has elected to sail from Genoa—so that is off, & I am to have that pleasantest of all things, an unbroken vacation.

Your war is over—that is the best news the year has furnished thus far; & you have closed with the Boers in a fine & magnanimous way—Lord send we may do as well by the Filipinos! [MTP]. Note: the Clemenses would leave on June 24 for York Harbor, Maine.

 

Henry Wise, Superintendent of Bacnotan Public Schools, the Philippines, wrote to Sam. He had sent a request some months before asking for copies of RI and FE, with autograph on the flyleaf; he was willing to pay $10. It would seem Sam mixed up his replies, as evidenced by Wise quoting his reply: “Your guess was right. Hannibal was the place—& the cave three miles below” If this was a joke Wise didn’t think it was funny as it was “not so labeled”—he didn’t care about the cave or to guess about it, only the books [MTP]. Note: See Jan-Mar entry to unidentified for this mystery.

 

 

Sam’s notebook: “Memorial Services / Amos J. Cummings,—afternoon. / Carnegie Hall / James J. Murphy / 216 E. 11th” [NB 45 TS19]. Note: Amos Jay Cummings (1838-1902), US Representative of New York, died May 2. Civil War Medal of Honor recipient, journalist, served in Congress until 1894. The New York Times, June 23, p. 9 reported a full hall at Carnegie:

 

The meeting was held under the auspices of Typographical Union No. 6, of which Mr. Cummings was a member. The great hall was nearly filled. On the platform were seated the speakers and representatives of the typographical union and other labor organizations.

 

June 23 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam replied to the June 19 of Harry Leon Wilson in the editorial rooms of Puck, N.Y.C.

 

“Read it? Indeed I will, & with great pleasure. We are packed up, now, & shall sail for York Harbor on summer vacation to-morrow morning. But the book will go thither. I went to Harper’s to-day to get it, but I had too many bundles, so I told them to ship it to me. With many thanks for the book, …” [MTP].

 

June 24 Tuesday – The Clemens family, sans Clara, who was in Europe, left Riverdale on Rogers’ yacht, the Kanawha, for York Harbor Maine . H.H. Rogers was not along but put his yacht at their disposal in order to make the trip a comfortable one for Livy. Sam sent the Plasmon Co. a postcard with the new address and a request for Plasmon biscuits and cocoa to be sent there [Christie’s London Auction Nov. 12, 2007, Sale 5141, Lot 145].

 

June 25 Wednesday – The Kanawha and the Clemens family’s first stop on their way to York Harbor, Maine was Fairhaven, Mass. In his June 26 to Rogers Sam wrote of the trip from Riverdale to Fairhaven.

 

       The sail from Riverdale till night fell was charming & exalting & beautiful beyond all experience. It went ahead of anything that ever was. If you had only been along the whole thing would have been just perfect. And the yacht was never so beautiful before; her new clothes suit her to a dot. We had a most pleasant time at Fairhaven; I, billiarding & napping, & the others driving & seeing the Library, Town Hall, etc…[MTP: Christie’s East catalog, 12 Nov. 1997, Item 20; not in MTHHR].

 

June 26 Thursday – On board the Kanawha, en route from Riverdale, N.Y. to York Harbor, Maine Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers. The weather on the trip was perfect, but Jean caused Livy some sleepless nights: More of his above letter relating to this day:

 

 

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.