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Complete Letters of Mark Twain
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To Mrs. Gabrilowitsch, in Europe:
Redding, Conn.,
Dec. 29, ’09.
O, Clara, Clara dear, I am so glad she is out of it and safe – safe! I am not melancholy; I shall never be melancholy again, I think. You see, I was in such distress when I came to realize that you were gone far away and no one stood between her and danger but me – and I could die at any moment, and then – oh then what would become of her! For she was wilful, you know, and would not have been governable.
You can’t imagine what a darling she was, that last two or three days; and how fine, and good, and sweet, and noble-and joyful, thank Heaven! – and how intellectually brilliant. I had never been acquainted with Jean before. I recognized that.
But I mustn’t try to write about her – I can’t. I have already poured my heart out with the pen, recording that last day or two.
I will send you that – and you must let no one but Ossip read it.
Good-bye.
I love you so!
And Ossip.
Father.
The writing mentioned in the last paragraph was his article ’The Death of Jean,’ his last serious writing, and one of the world’s most beautiful examples of elegiac prose[52] and later in the volume, ‘What Is Man and Other Essays.’
XLVIII. Letters of 1910. Last Trip To Bermuda. Letters To Paine. The Last Letter
Mark Twain had returned from a month’s trip to Bermuda a few days before Jean died. Now, by his physician’s advice, he went back to those balmy islands. He had always loved them, since his first trip there with Twichell thirty-three years earlier, and at “Bay House,” the residence of Vice-Consul Allen, where he was always a welcome guest, he could have the attentions and care and comforts of a home. Taking Claude, the butler, as his valet, he sailed January 5th, and presently sent back a letter in which he said, “Again I am leading the ideal life, and am immeasurably content.”
By his wish, the present writer and his family were keeping the Stormfield house open for him, in order that he might be able to return to its comforts at any time. He sent frequent letters – one or two by each steamer – but as a rule they did not concern matters of general interest. A little after his arrival, however, he wrote concerning an incident of his former visit – a trivial matter – but one which had annoyed him. I had been with him in Bermuda on the earlier visit, and as I remember it, there had been some slight oversight on his part in the matter of official etiquette – something which doubtless no one had noticed but himself.
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To A. B. Paine, in Redding:
Bay house, Jan. 11, 1910.
Dear Paine, – … There was a military lecture last night at the Officer’s Mess, prospect, and as the lecturer honored me with a special and urgent invitation and said he wanted to lecture to me particularly, I being “the greatest living master of the platform-art,” I naturally packed Helen and her mother into the provided carriage and went.
As soon as we landed at the door with the crowd the Governor came to me at once and was very cordial, and apparently as glad to see me as he said he was. So that incident is closed. And pleasantly and entirely satisfactorily. Everything is all right, now, and I am no longer in a clumsy and awkward situation.
I “met up” with that charming Colonel Chapman, and other officers of the regiment, and had a good time.
Commandant Peters of the “Carnegie” will dine here tonight and arrange a private visit for us to his ship, the crowd to be denied access.
Sincerely Yours,
S. L. C.
“Helen” of this letter was Mr. and Mrs. Allen’s young daughter, a favorite companion of his walks and drives. “Loomis” and “Lark,” mentioned in the letters which follow, were Edward E. Loomis – his nephew by marriage – named by Mark Twain as one of the trustees of his estate, and Charles T. Lark, Mark Twain’s attorney.
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To A. B. Paine, in Redding:
Hamilton, Jan. 21, ’10.
Dear Paine, – Thanks for your letter, and for its contenting news of the situation in that foreign and far-off and vaguely-remembered country where you and Loomis and Lark and other beloved friends are.
I have a letter from Clara this morning. She is solicitous, and wants me well and watchfully taken care of. My, she ought to see Helen and her parents and Claude administer that trust!
Also she says: “I hope to hear from you or Mr. Paine very soon.”
I am writing her, and I know you will respond to your part of her prayer. She is pretty desolate now, after Jean’s emancipation – the only kindness God ever did that poor unoffending child in all her hard life.
Ys ever,
S. L. C.
Send Clara a copy of Howells’s gorgeous letter. I want a copy of my article that he is speaking of.
The “gorgeous letter” was concerning Mark Twain’s article, “The Turning-point in My Life” which had just appeared in one of the Harper publications. Howells wrote of it, “While your wonderful words are warm in my mind yet, I want to tell you what you know already: that you never wrote anything greater, finer, than that turning-point paper of yours.”
From the early Bermuda letters we may gather that Mark Twain’s days were enjoyable enough, and that his malady was not giving him serious trouble, thus far. Near the end of January he wrote: “Life continues here the same as usual. There isn’t a flaw in it. Good times, good home, tranquil contentment all day and every day, without a break. I shouldn’t know how to go about bettering my situation.” He did little in the way of literary work, probably finding neither time nor inclination for it. When he wrote at all it was merely to set down some fanciful drolleries with no thought of publication.
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To Prof. William Lyon Phelps, Yale College:
Hamilton, March 12.
Dear professor Phelps, – I thank you ever so much for the book[53] which I find charming – so charming indeed, that I read it through in a single night, and did not regret the lost night’s sleep. I am glad if I deserve what you have said about me: and even if I don’t I am proud and well contented, since you think I deserve it.
Yes, I saw Prof. Lounsbury, and had a most pleasant time with him. He ought to have staid longer in this little paradise – partly for his own sake, but mainly for mine.
I knew my poor Jean had written you. I shall not have so dear and sweet a secretary again.
Good health to you, and all good fortune attend you.
Sincerely yours,
S. L. Clemens.
He would appear to have written not many letters besides those to Mrs. Gabrilowitsch and to Stormfield, but when a little girl sent him a report of a dream, inspired by reading The Prince and the Pauper, he took the time and trouble to acknowledge it, realizing, no doubt, that a line from him would give the child happiness.
*****
To Miss Sulamith, in New York:
“Bay house,” Bermuda, March 21, 1910.
Dear miss sulamith, – I think it is a remarkable dream for a girl of 13 to have dreamed, in fact for a person of any age to have dreamed, because it moves by regular grade and sequence from the beginning to the end, which is not the habit of dreams. I think your report of it is a good piece of work, a clear and effective statement of the vision.
I am glad to know you like the “Prince and the Pauper” so well and I believe with you that the dream is good evidence of that liking. I think I may say, with your sister that I like myself best when I am serious.
Sincerely yours,
S. L. Clemens.
Through February, and most of March, letters and reports from him were about the same. He had begun to plan for his return, and concerning amusements at Stormfield for the entertainment of the neighbors, and for the benefit of the library which he had founded soon after his arrival in Redding. In these letters he seldom mentioned the angina pains that had tortured him earlier. But once, when he sent a small photograph of himself, it seemed to us that his face had become thin and that he had suffered. Certainly his next letter was not reassuring.
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To A. B. Paine, in Redding:
Dear Paine, – We must look into the magic-lantern business. Maybe the modern lantern is too elaborate and troublesome for back-settlement use, but we can inquire. We must have some kind of a show at “Stormfield” to entertain the countryside with.
We are booked to sail in the “Bermudian” April 23rd, but don’t tell anybody, I don’t want it known. I may have to go sooner if the pain in my breast doesn’t mend its ways pretty considerably. I don’t want to die here for this is an unkind place for a person in that condition. I should have to lie in the undertaker’s cellar until the ship would remove me and it is dark down there and unpleasant.
The Colliers will meet me on the pier and I may stay with them a week or two before going home. It all depends on the breast pain – I don’t want to die there. I am growing more and more particular about the place.
With love,
S. L. C.
This letter had been written by the hand of his “secretary,” Helen Allen: writing had become an effort to him. Yet we did not suspect how rapidly the end was approaching and only grew vaguely alarmed. A week later, however, it became evident that his condition was critical.
Dear Paine,—…. I have been having a most uncomfortable time for the past 4 days with that breast-pain, which turns out to be an affection of the heart, just as I originally suspected. The news from New York is to the effect that non-bronchial weather has arrived there at last, therefore if I can get my breast trouble in traveling condition I may sail for home a week or two earlier than has heretofore been proposed:
Yours as ever,
S. L. Clemens,
(per H. S. A.)
In this letter he seems to have forgotten that his trouble had been pronounced an affection of the heart long before he left America, though at first it had been thought that it might be gastritis. The same mail brought a letter from Mr. Allen explaining fully the seriousness of his condition. I sailed immediately for Bermuda, arriving there on the 4th of April. He was not suffering at the moment, though the pains came now with alarming frequency and violence. He was cheerful and brave. He did not complain. He gave no suggestion of a man whose days were nearly ended.
A part of the Stormfield estate had been a farm, which he had given to Jean Clemens, where she had busied herself raising some live stock and poultry. After her death he had wished the place to be sold and the returns devoted to some memorial purpose. The sale had been made during the winter and the price received had been paid in cash. I found him full of interest in all affairs, and anxious to discuss the memorial plan. A day or two later he dictated the following letter-the last he would ever send.
It seemed fitting that this final word from one who had so long given happiness to the whole world should record a special gift to his neighbors.
*****
To Charles T. Lark, in New York:
Hamilton, Bermuda.
April 6, 1910.
Dear Mr. Lark, – I have told Paine that I want the money derived from the sale of the farm, which I had given, but not conveyed, to my daughter Jean, to be used to erect a building for the Mark Twain Library of Redding, the building to be called the Jean L. Clemens Memorial Building.
I wish to place the money $6,000.00 in the hands of three trustees, – Paine and two others: H. A. Lounsbury and William E. Hazen, all of Redding, these trustees to form a building Committee to decide on the size and plan of the building needed and to arrange for and supervise the work in such a manner that the fund shall amply provide for the building complete, with necessary furnishings, leaving, if possible, a balance remaining, sufficient for such repairs and additional furnishings as may be required for two years from the time of completion.
Will you please draw a document covering these requirements and have it ready by the time I reach New York (April 14th).
Very sincerely,
S. L. Clemens.
We sailed on the 12th of April, reaching New York on the 14th, as he had planned. A day or two later, Mr. and Mrs. Gabrilowitsch, summoned from Italy by cable, arrived. He suffered very little after reaching Stormfield, and his mind was comparatively clear up to the last day. On the afternoon of April 21st he sank into a state of coma, and just at sunset he died. Three days later, at Elmira, New York, he was laid beside Mrs. Clemens and those others who had preceded him.
The last day at Stormfield by Bliss Carman.
At Redding, Connecticut,
The April sunrise pours
Over the hardwood ridges
Softening and greening now
In the first magic of Spring.
The wild cherry-trees are in bloom,
The bloodroot is white underfoot,
The serene early light flows on,
Touching with glory the world,
And flooding the large upper room
Where a sick man sleeps.
Slowly he opens his eyes,
After long weariness, smiles,
And stretches arms overhead,
While those about him take heart.
With his awakening strength,
(Morning and spring in the air,
The strong clean scents of earth,
The call of the golden shaft,
Ringing across the hills)
He takes up his heartening book,
Opens the volume and reads,
A page of old rugged Carlyle,
The dour philosopher
Who looked askance upon life,
Lurid, ironical, grim,
Yet sound at the core.
But weariness returns;
He lays the book aside
With his glasses upon the bed,
And gladly sleeps. Sleep,
Blessed abundant sleep,
Is all that he needs.
And when the close of day
Reddens upon the hills
And washes the room with rose,
In the twilight hush
The Summoner comes to him
Ever so gently, unseen,
Touches him on the shoulder;
And with the departing sun
Our great funning friend is gone.
How he has made us laugh!
A whole generation of men
Smiled in the joy of his wit.
But who knows whether he was not
Like those deep jesters of old
Who dwelt at the courts of Kings,
Arthur’s, Pendragon’s, Lear’s,
Plying the wise fool’s trade,
Making men merry at will,
Hiding their deeper thoughts
Under a motley array, —
Keen-eyed, serious men,
Watching the sorry world,
The gaudy pageant of life,
With pity and wisdom and love?
Fearless, extravagant, wild,
His caustic merciless mirth
Was leveled at pompous shams.
Doubt not behind that mask
There dwelt the soul of a man,
Resolute, sorrowing, sage,
As sure a champion of good
As ever rode forth to fray.
Haply – who knows? – somewhere
In Avalon, Isle of Dreams,
In vast contentment at last,
With every grief done away,
While Chaucer and Shakespeare wait,
And Moliere hangs on his words,
And Cervantes not far off
Listens and smiles apart,
With that incomparable drawl
He is jesting with Dagonet now.
