13 September 1880 • Elmira, N.Y. (MS facsimile: CtHMTH, UCCL 01832)
Mrs. Clemens is coming up gradually & steadily, but I take her letter-writing off her shoulders all I can, as yet, because between physical feebleness & the wear & tear & sleeplessness of life in the presence of a new baby born of parents of anti-paregoric principles, her head is in a too confused & muddy condition for intelligible work with a pen. We were exceedingly sorry, & shocked, to hear that about Mr. Whitmore. We were of course thinking of him as out shooting or sailing or fishing, all this time, not cooped up in bed & wasting away with sickness. But we are glad to hear he is up again, & shall hope his health will soon be wholly restored. If I could help by coming to Indian Neck, & could be spared from my post, I would be glad to make the trial. However, I judge by your letter that both families will strike Hartford about the same date—then I can hurry up Whitmore’s health in the billiard room.
The baby——but this is a vast subject, & life is short. You shall see her for yourself.
Mrs. Clemens begs that you will pardon & excuse her employment of an amanuensis, in the circumstances. I came near writing to Mr. Whitmore & a number of other people about to announce the new baby; & I did write as many as two letters, but then I fell into the doctor’s hands & have done no work since till day before yesterday, when I added a chapter to my new book, in bed—where I am now—& shall add another to-day, from the same comfortable place. We join in kindest regards to you & Mr. Whitmore.
Mrs. F. G. Whitmore | Montowese House | Branford | Conn return address: if not delivered within 10 days, to be returned to postmarked: elmira n.y. sep 14 12m
References
- Mark Twain House and Museum, Hartford, Conn.
- Machlis, Paul, ed. Union Catalog of Clemens Letters. Edited by Paul Machlis. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press. [In some cases, UCCL catalog numbers cited in this volume supersede those assigned in 1986 and reflect corrections or additions to the catalog since publication. An updated version of the catalog can be consulted via the Letters Search page at MTPO.] 1986
- Microfilm Edition of Mark Twain’s Previously Unpublished Letters. Prepared by Anh Quynh Bui, Victor Fischer, Michael B. Frank, Robert H. Hirst, Lin Salamo, and Harriet Elinor Smith. 8 vols. Berkeley: The Bancroft Library. 2001
MS facsimile, CtHMTH.
MicroPUL, reel 1.
Owned by Mrs. Francis Whitmore Hartnell Burgess in 1964.
More information on provenance may be found in Description of Provenanceclick to open link.