Stuyvesant, Feb. 26.
1 A.M.
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My Darling Livy, it is too bad. I had promised myself the happiness of a long letter to you yesterday—but it took them all day to get me a room at the St Nicholas, & so that failed. Your father & I called to see Mrs. Brooks in the evening—she was out—& after that I had to go to bed—tired out. But I left New York early, to-day, purposely that I might get a chance to write, here, this afternoon—but it was no use:1 they brought me here to be the guest of the Rev. Mr. Nevius, & they kept me in the parlor talking till almost dark (I had your letter in my hand all the time,) & then I had to beg them to let me retire a moment & read it,—I had to read it—I couldn’t stand it any longer. Just as I finished it they called me to tea—several young ladies present—then talk, talk, talk, till lecture-time.2 After the lecture they had much company, & the talk continued till almost midnight. Then I thought I would get a chance to write, but was fooled again. Three of the young ladies are staying all night—[ ther their ] room is just across the hall from mine, & they wouldn’t go to bed, but have kept on chattering at me for more than an hour, asking questions. Finally I started into their room, promising to stop their clatter, & that ended the trouble—for they were undressed, & they barred me out. They are quiet, now.
But it is too late—too late. The night is more than half gone, & I take the train at 9 in the morning. You don’t allow me to sit up late to write, you idolized little tyrant, & therefore I must just quit & go to bed. My stove smokes, & I am enveloped in a fog of it, & my eyes smart, although the doors are open & I am very cold. I am tired, & sleepy, & disappointed, & angry, & yet I am trying to write to Livy. I ought t not to approach such a presence save in a tranquil spirit,—& with the deference which is your due. Am I never going to get a chance to write? Oh, forgive me, darling, & pity me—for I do so long to write. I will have the time in Lockport, in spite of everybody—& then I’ll [“let ] myself out!” {Slang—I’m sorry, [Livy. ] dear.}
This smoke is outrageous. Livy, I can’t keep my eyes open. And this is such a pitiable return for your letter, which made me as happy as a king, you precious, you matchless girl! I love you, Livy. I love you with all my heart—with every fibre of it. Pray for me, Livy darling—I can pray with only half a heart—I am so disappointed.
I take the comma & the semicolon from the little picture (thank you, “my Livy”—you [ sigh sign ] yourself rightly, my life, my love,) & send in return, all the punctuation marks3—on brow & lip & eyes—& the grateful homage of a most blest & loving heart. Good-night—& good-bye, for a [little ] season.
Yours, always
Sam.
[enclosure:]
g&s
i have chained the sun to serve me
gurney.
fifth avenue, cor 16th st. n. y.
Miss Olivia L. Langdon
Present.
Care of the best boy in the family.
[docketed by OLL:] 43rdExplanatory Notes | Textual Commentary
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Clemens dated his letter 26 February in strict accord with the early
hour, even though when he referred to “to-day” and
“yesterday” in the body of the letter, he meant 25
and 24 February, respectively. He had left Elmira on 22 February, bound
for Trenton, New Jersey, by way of New York City, which he probably
reached early on 23 February. He lectured in Trenton that evening. (The
letter he probably wrote to Olivia on 23 February, docket number 42, is
missing.) On 24 February he returned to New York and waited
“all day” for a room at the St. Nicholas Hotel,
where he joined Olivia’s father, who was himself in the city
on business. In the evening they tried and failed to visit Fidele
Brooks, and early on the next day, 25 February, Clemens took the train
125 miles north to Stuyvesant. He lectured in Stuyvesant on the evening
of 25 February (“City Items,” Trenton [N.J.]
State Gazette, 23 Feb 69, 3; Lane;
“Morning Arrivals,” New York Evening Express, 24 Feb 69, 3; “Personal
Intelligence,” New York Evening
Telegram, 25 Feb 69, 4; “Home News,” New York
Tribune, 25 Feb 69, 8).
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The Reverend Elbert Nevius (1808–97) had been pastor of the
Reformed Church of Stuyvesant since 1846. He and his wife, the former
Maria Louisa Condict (1808–86), had eight children, four of
whom were still living at this time, including Abigail Gertrude (b.
1842), who was probably among the young women Clemens met (Honeyman, 290–91,
293).
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That is, the kisses borne on the photograph that Clemens enclosed. The
“little picture” that Olivia sent, presumably a
photograph of herself, has not been found.
Source text(s):MS and enclosed photograph, Mark Twain Papers, The Bancroft Library,
University of California, Berkeley (CU-MARK).
Previous publication:
L3, 111–114; LLMT, 357, brief paraphrase.
Provenance:see Samossoud Collection, p. 586.
Emendations and textual notes:
ther their • therir
“let • ‘ “let [corrected miswriting]
Livy. • [deletion implied]
sigh sign • sighn [‘h’ partly formed]
little • li[t]tle [torn before inscription]
