Vol 3 Section 0851
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on. |
“The Last day of a—in some respects—Tough Year being A.D. 1902”: |
1902 789
Livy. In that costume?
Cl. Oh, no.
L. Well, you can’t make your train, it’s impossible.
Cl. I know, but I’m going to take the other one.
L. Indeed that won’t do—you’ll be ever so much too late for your lesson.
Cl. No, the lesson-time has been put an hour later. (Lie).
L. (satisfied. Then suddenly) But Clara, that train & the late lesson together will make you late to Mrs.
Hapgood’s luncheon.
Cl. No, the train leaves 15 minutes earlier than it used to. (Lie).
Sam continued this dialogue for several pages, illustrating the tangled web Clara wove to get through all the lies [MTP]. Note: Mrs. Norman Hapgood (Emily B. Hapgood).
Mrs. M.E. Jobe wrote to Sam from Elizabethton, Carter County, Tenn., enclosing a poster (not extant) of her lecture and asking if he “would agree to revise” her talk for her [MTP].
December 30 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam was allowed to see Livy for nearly four minutes [Dec.
31 to Twichell].
Sam also added a short pararaph to his Dec. 29 letter to Susan Crane.
“Dec. 30. 6 a.m—(which is about dawn.) I have been up to Jean’s room, & find all quiet there—Jean sleeping. Miss Tobin whispered, ‘She has had a splendid night.’ The doctor (& Clara) had put in an appearance a couple of times in the night & gone back to bed, finding things going well” [MTP].
Sam’s notebook: “Annual Meeting International Plasmon Ltd. / I should have 14,700 shs out of the 87,000. / 2.40 p.m., saw Livy 5 minutes by the watch—the first time in more than 3 months. A splendid 5 minutes! / Jean passed what the nurse called a ‘splendid’ night, & is doing well. The doctor stayed all night” [NB 45 TS 35-6].
Mrs. K. Suart wrote from London to Sam.
“I had to write by last mail lifting off my shoulders the burden you laid on them in thinking I had told you those statements about the respective sayings of Jesus & Mrs. Eddy being placed in the manner you said
also about the image or picture of Mrs. Eddy & the inextinguishable light. I never told you but fancy you must have read it in the literature I recollect you had in Vienna, strongly adverse to Christian Science.” She had heard from Jean the last week and was “so very glad to know that dear Mrs. Clemens is so much better.” She wished the Clemens family a good new year [MTP]. Note: this may be Evelyn Suart (after 1945: Lady Harcourt), (1881-1950) a notable English pianist, former student of Theodor Leschetizkey in Vienna, and a Christian Scientist. However, the “K” initital does not fit either of her husbands or her name.
Joe Twichell wrote from Hartford to Sam.
“We can’t go any longer without some more definite report of Livy…Harmony and I thought we might possibly see you in New York whither we went to the New England Dinner last week, Monday (where, by the way, I tell you in confidence, I made a not very successful speech) but we only heard that you had been seen there by somebody that day;–which did us no good.” They were happy that Livy was on the mend—could he please confirm? [MTP].
December 31 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Saw her for 5 minutes” [NB 45 TS 36].
In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a long letter to Joe Twichell that he added to on Jan. 1, 1903. Sam headed the letter