From Olivia L. Clemens to Robert M. Howland
20 November 1871 • Hartford, Conn.
(MS: CU-MARK, UCCL 00677)

llc

Hartford Nov. 20th. 1871

Mr R. M. Howland

Dear Sir

Your letter of the 16th rec’d— Mr Clemens spent yesterday at home, but was too jaded out to write letters or do anything but try to get rested— He desired me to answer your letter for him—

I do not yet know when he is to lecture in Auburn as I have only his a list of his engagements through Nov.1 I shall probably have his Dec. list before very many days, if the Auburn appointment should be in that month if you will let me know where to address you, I will send you word—2

I wish Mrs Howland was with you and you could come here and finish your Buffalo visit—3 I think with great pleasure of that ‸the‸ day spent with us, and truly hope it is the first but far from the last visit that we may have together—

We are all well, our baby grows fat and hearty every day—

I wish that Mr Clemens was to be at home for two or three days while you are in New York, then perhaps you could find time to come and see us—

You and Mrs Howland shall have pictures of the baby and myself as soon as we have any taken— We are exceedingly obliged for yours, I think them very good indeed—

Please give my love to Mrs Howland when you write her, and express my wish to her that we may know each other better—

With the kindest regards

Your Truly

Mrs S. L. Clemens

Mr R. M. Howland | St. Nicholas Hotel | New York [on the flap:] llc [postmarked:] [hartford ct.] nov 203 pm [and] received [st. nicholas hotel, n. y. ] nov 21 1871 [in Louise Howland’s hand:] and shall regard it a[s] a souvenir connecting‸reminding‸a the few brief hours enjoyed in your society with the many future [and] Louise H—— | R | R | Robert Howland, |R.M.H.| Louise | Mrs. Osborne | Auburn. | ssssss | //SSSss

Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

Editorial Signs

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1 There is no indication that Clemens’s 5 December Auburn lecture was not already noted in his itinerary book when he spent part of the weekend of 18–19 November with Olivia, but evidently they did not discuss his December schedule. Her own copy of his itinerary came monthly from the Boston Lyceum Bureau.

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2 Howland was probably a native of Auburn: he was a volunteer fireman there before he went to Nevada (Robert M. Gunn, personal communication). It is not known if his visit to the town, which he was apparently planning for December, coincided with Clemens’s lecture.

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3 In June 1870 ( 1–6 or 12–21 June 70 to Howland, n. 2).

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

MS, Mark Twain Papers, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley (CU-MARK).

Previous publication: L4, 496–497.

Provenance:donated to CU-MARK in 1977 by Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Gunn.

Emendations and textual notes:

hartford ct. • har [tfo] rd [c] [badly inked]

st. nicholas hotel, n. y. • [t.] nicholas h [ot] l [,] n. [y]. [badly inked]