Vol 3 Section 1043

1904                                                                            ⁹⁷⁹

three more weeks. In his second letter: “I forgot to say in previous letter of this date that the soap I am sending you was made to use with London water & it may chance that Florence water doesn’t suit it” [MTP].

Janet D. Ross wrote a picture postcard of Florence Villa Settignanese to Sam. “The owner of villa is away, but in 3 days I hope to hear more” [MTP]. Note: Mrs. Ross was helping Sam to find another villa.

April 18 Monday – Dr. Moses Allen Starr wrote from NYC to Sam. “While I think an elevation much above 2000 ft—say 2500-3000 would possibly increase Mrs C’s difficulty of breathing, I doubt if 2000 will do any harm. So I wired you this morning on receipt of yours ‘Yes’ in reply to your question “Is it safe?” He also suggested some medicine for Livy if she was better [MTP].

April 19 Tuesday – In London William Dean Howells wrote to Sam that he’d heard from the young (40) Dr. John Crawford, whom Howells had given a letter of introduction to Sam. Crawford had not shown in Florence, this letter suggests a lost letter from Clemens. Howells then sympathized with his old friend’s struggles:

Your letter made my heart ache; and it still makes me dumb; but you know how I must feel for each of you; I don’t know which I feel for most, but, I think, Jean and you, for Clara’s presence with the suffering had its own help in it. What a great good girl she is; one alone like her is enough to “justify the ways of God to man,” which we have to stumble along in so unevenly except for the light that a sublime creature like her sheds on them. As for Mrs. Clemens herself, there’s truly nothing to say. I understand the sort of thing you are going [through] [MTHL 2: 783-4].

April 20 Wednesday – Livy took a turn for the worse and Sam excluded himself and Clara from entering her room; neither were letters nor papers allowed inside. Only Katy Leary, who slept in Livy’s room at night, and the doctors were allowed entrance [Apr. 25 to MacAlister]. Note: Livy would survive but six weeks more.

Sam’s notebook: “Gelli—10 a.m.” [NB 47 TS 10]. Note: sitting for his portrait.

April 21 Thursday – Dr. William Wilberforce Baldwin sent a telegram from Rome to Dr. Kirch:

“BILLIOUS ATTACK OVER WILL TRY TO COME TOMORROW WILL TELEGRAPH AGAIN=BALDWIN” [MTP].

Marguerite Flower wrote to Sam from Salem, Ore. School of the Blind. She was 13 and liked P&P, and asked “won’t you write another book like it?” [MTP].

Francesco D. Grandi wrote a nearly illegible letter in Italian? to Sam [MTP].

The Independent published an brief, anonymous review of Extracts from Adam’s Diary, p. 973. “Descriptive and laudatory”

Spring 1982 p. 10].

April 22 Friday – In New York H.H. Rogers wrote to Sam, “confused” as to whether he’d written or not. He complained about the “great cotillion over the Boston case,” with a lot of men “turning state’s evidence” against him, the same men who had made money by following him. His mother in law was in a low state of health. He was getting his yacht ready for June races. He relayed a card story told by Clarence Rice, and an article about Katharine Harrison and her $10,000 salary—something which caused a bit of sensation in the press [MTHHR 564-5].

Dr. William Wilberforce Baldwin telegrammed again to Dr. G.W. Kirch in Florence. “DR BALDWIN

CONFINED TO ROOM WITH SEVERE BILLIONS ATTAK HAS WRITTEN” [MTP].

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