Vol 3 Section 0997

Sour Weather in Florence – Roosevelt: “What he wants, he takes”– Butters a Fraud Mollie Clemens Dies – Dictating Autobio. – Pigs & Enunciator Wars – Donkey Attack Clara Hysterics – Livy, a Shadow – Charity Reading – Gelli’s Portrait

“You’re a damfool, Mary” – Clara Performs, Stuns – Stanley Dies – Villa Hunting Livy Breathes Her Last – Sad Voyage Home, Elmira Funeral – Clara’s Breakdown Tyringham Hideaway – Jean Escapes Death by Trolley – A Dog’s Tale Remodeling 21 Fifth Ave. – Hillcrest Edition – American Academy of Arts & Letters Warring Factions at Plasmon Co.

1904 – Sam wrote a 36 page MS , titled “The Countess Massiglia,” which remained unpublished [AMT-1:

707].

At the Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence Sam wrote to Louise W. Carnegie (Mrs. Andrew Carnegie). “Dear Mrs. Carnegie: We can’t call, because Mrs. Clemens is bedridden these 18 months, but if you will look in on us we will pay back as soon as we can” [MTP]. Note: the Carnegies were visiting Florence.

Sam also wrote to Harper & Brothers: “Please send me Castillian Days by John Hay” [MTP]. Note: See Gribben

302 for more on this 1899 book.

Sam also wrote a letter to George B. Harvey sometime during 1904 about Theodore Roosevelt.

The Government of the United States was born in the State of New York forty-six years ago, of an old and eminent Dutch family. In the common school, the academy and the university he acquired his civil education; he acquired his military education in the Rocky Mountains in conflicts with the bear; among the cowboys he got his training in the cautious arts of statesmanship and in the delicate etiquette of diplomacy.

In time he became Police Commissioner of New York City, and was a good one. Later he was Governor of his State, under Mr. Platt. After a while he was made Assistant Secretary of the Navy and chief promoter of a war with Spain. Then he resigned and went to his war, and took San Juan Hill, without concealment, but in the most public manner. Nothing in history resembles this engagement, except the recent tragedy of Lone Tree Hill, where the Russian and the Japanese ravished the summit from each other by storm sixteen times in two days with a loss of 30,000 men. These two hills will go down in history together.

Next he accepted the Vice-Presidency of the Republican Party, which is the United States. Presently he became President and Government . . . By and by he took fourteen million dollars out of the public till and gave it away, dividing it among all elderly voters who had had relatives in the Civil War. The gratuity is to be continued annually until those elderly people die. It is an impressive thought that no mere man has ever been able to confer immortality upon a company of human beings before.

. . .What he wants, he takes. It will be best for us again to elect him Government of the United States on the eighth of November next. Otherwise he will take it anyhow [MTP: Willis F. Johnson’s George Harvey, 1929, p.80]. Note: Thomas Collier Platt (1833-1910), three-term US Senator from NY, known as the Republican “boss” and “godfather” to Roosevelt. It should be noted that Clemens was not only against the expansionism of T.R. but the social programs of big government, which he saw as intrusive. Today Clemens would be a Conservative; perhaps a Libertarian.

Sam also inscribed a copy of Marjorie Fleming: The Story of Pet Marjorie to daughter Clara: “To Clara / 1904. / This enlargement will properly go with the first ‘Marjorie Fleming’ which Dr. John Brown gave your mother in Edinburg in 1873. / S.L.C.” [MTP]. Note: See Gribben 87; Marjorie Fleming by Dr. John Brown, 1853.

Daniel Moncure Conway’s Autobiography: Memories and Experiences p. 142-5. Tenney: “Describes an 1872 MT lecture in St. George’s Hall (London), MT at a Savage Club dinner, where he praised the Albert Memorial ‘which will stand in all its beauty when the name it bears has crumbled into dust.’ Describes a visit to the Hartford home in 1876, and MT as master of ceremonies in an entertainment for Harriet Beecher Stowe. It was Conway who took the MS of TS to England.

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