From Samuel L. and
Olivia L. Clemens
to Mary Mason Fairbanks
17 December 1870 • Buffalo, N.Y.
(MS: CSmH, UCCL 00551)
c
Buf. 17th.
Mother dear, I am so sorry that things have interfered over & over again to keep me from writing [you. As ]soon as you left1 I found myself in a perfect crush & jam of literary work,2 & I said to myself that everything must give place now to sheer downright labor—& so I stuck to it with all my might, even when I knew I ought to be giving more time & cheer to Livy and mother3—& mind you I would not even reply to pressing business letters. But And just as your last letter arrived I shot off to New York to issue a pamphlet, & staid over 7 days—just got back this minute, & wouldn’t even delay to have half a talk with Livy, who is sitting here applauding me & urging me to not stop till Mother Fairbanks is [ thou thoroughly ]satisfied that she must write herself “Mother” Fairbanks. But she is hurrying me, too (kissing me all over the head so boisterously that I my pen misses the switch & goes off the track every now & then.)
The baby is doing well, now, but they tell me he was dangerously ill yesterday & they came near telegraphing me to hurry home.
I sent Allie our little wedding offering from New York yesterday (the two Sistine [ cubs ] ‸cherubs‸ with resting their elbows on a bench & smiling up at the Madonna,.) One of the [ cubs ] ‸cherubs‸ is to represent Livy’s loving wishes for the blessed couple, & the other is to represent mine to the best of his smile small ability.
We got the wedding invitations to-day, & I think d Dan Slote, Charley & I, will go to Cleveland together. Dan told me to telegraph him, & I shall.4
I bought my “Jumping Frog” [copyright ]back again from Webb. Am going to melt up the plates. I gave him his indebtedness ($600,) & $800 cash beside, for the his share of the copyright & right of publication. Think of purchasing one’s own property after never having received one cent on from the publication!5
Well, mother dear, I’ll close, now, & try hard to do better in [future. For] even if we do neglect other friends & correspondents we have the very strongest desire & determination not to neglect you, ever any more. “God bless us, every one.”6
Good bye.
Yr Son
Samℓ.
We are glad to get the Youth back again, dear Mother Fairbanks, I do assure you— and feel as if we never wanted to let him go again— Mother and I often speak of you and you well know that the words are loving ones— Love and all good and pleasant wishes to Allie, and kind regards to the rest of your household including Mr Ga‸ay‸lord. Always with love yours
Livy.
Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary
Source text(s):Previous publication:
L4, 273–274; MTMF, 142–44.
Provenance:see Huntington Library in Description of Provenance.
Emendations and textual notes:
you. As • you.—|As
thou thoroughly • thouroughly
cubs • [canceled by OLC]
cubs • [canceled by OLC]
copyright • copy-|right
future. For • future.—For
