Vol 3 Section 1074
Sam’s notebook: “A wonderful day. Brilliant sun, brilliant blue water, strong & delightful breeze. In middle of Gulf Stream. Temperature of water, 73 1/2° Fahr. We had such days in the Indian Ocean, & Livy so enjoyed the exaltation of spirit they produced” [NB 47 TS 15].
Chatto & Windus wrote to Sam, with “the pleasure of enclosing you a statement of the sales of your books for the past six months, ending June 30, and one Edition de Luxe, which includes vol. 23.” Their cheque for £158.13.0 was enclosed [MTP].
July 9 Saturday – The Clemens party was en route in the Prince Oscar from Naples to New York.
Sam’s notebook: “Rainy” [NB 47 TS 15].
July 10 Sunday – The Clemens party was en route in the Prince Oscar from Naples to New York.
Sam’s notebook: “To-night it will be 5 weeks. But, to me it remains yesterday—as it has from the first. / But this funeral march—how sad & long it is! / Two more days will end the second stage of it” [MTB 1222; NB 47 TS 15].
July 11 Monday – The Clemens party was en route in the Prince Oscar from Naples to New York.
William Milligan Sloane in Princeton, N.J. wrote Sam a letter of condolence [MTP].
July 12 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Due to finish this melancholy voyage at 7 or 8 this evening. / Small-pox
discovered this morning; 5 cases in steerage: every soul on board being vaccinated” [NB 47 TS 16].
Sam listed “proposed tips” at the end the voyage: His bedroom steward $10, Jean’s bedroom steward $10, The Table-steward $10, Stewardess $10, Doctor $5, Deck steward $3, Library $1, Bath steward $2, Servants’ table steward $3, Teresa’s bedroom steward $2.50, and the band $2.50. After this list, he wrote: “(Increase all of them 20%.) —except the doctor” [NB 47 TS 17a]. Note: this entry at end of NB, not under any specific date.
In the evening the Prince Oscar arrived in New York, carrying a mourning Clemens family. The New York Times, July 13, p.7 reported:
CLEMENS BRINGS WIFE’S BODY.
————
Mark Twain, Sorrow-Stricken, Arrives
On the Prince Oskar.
Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) arrived here yesterday evening on the steamship Prince Oskar of the Hamburg-American Line from Naples. He was accompanied by his daughters, Clara L. Clemens and Jane [sic Jean] L. Clemens, and his secretary, Miss J.W. Lyons [sic Isabel V. Lyon]. Aboard the steamship was the body of Mrs. Clemens, who died in Florence, where Mark Twain has a villa. The family comes here at this time to bury Mrs. Clemens’s body at Elmira, where she was born.
As Mr. Clemens left the ship his step was faltering and he seemed much more feeble than when he left here last Fall. He wore mourning, and the usual spirit of good-fellowship which he shows was missing. To the reporters he said that he knew nothing and preferred to be left alone in his sorrow. A number of officials of the Lackawanna Railroad were at the pier to meet Mr. Clemens, and E.P. Loomis, [sic Edward E. Loomis] Second Vice President of the road, placed his private car, the Lake Forest, at Mr. Clemens’s disposal.
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.