From Olivia L. and Samuel L. Clemens to Jane Lampton Clemens and Family
20 December 1872 • Hartford, Conn.
(MS:NPV, UCCL 00847)

‸P. S. I put in the clothes to fill up thinking you might use them for Sammy.‸

‸Livy.‸
Hartford Dec. 20th 1872

Dear Ma, Pamela, Annie & Sammie

A Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you all—We send you our Christmas box of remembrance—I hope that Sammy’s Engine will reach Fredonia {by} Christmas so that he can add that to his other things—The slippers are for him from Aunt Mollie she worked them—

Annie the little Ermine tippet your Uncle Sam bought in England, also the little silver flower for the hair— We did so want to get you an muff to go with the tippet, but we could hardly afford it this year, however we shall remember that you need one—

The gold chain as you will see by the mark ‸on the box‸ was purchased in England—

Sammy’s chain will serve as a guard for his watch but it is not intrinsically valuable being only a composition— Ma the laces are for you as you will know, and Pamela the spoons for you— The handkerchiefs for Annie—

We took dinner last night with Orion and Mollie and had an exceedingly pleasant time, they are very cozily situated— Yesterday was the Aniversary of their wedding—1

We are [so ]glad [the that ]Ma and Annie are coming, we want the other two, after their visit is made—2 I must leave a little room for Mr Clemens

With love affectionately yours

Livy Clemens

Your eldest son & daughter are exceedingly cosily situated, & o Orion is as happy as a martyr when the fire won’t burn.

Wish you all a merry Christmas & many happy returns. I have been aggravating the baby by showing her another baby in a [hand-glass ] whom she can’t find behind it. Goodbye. Am [justing ] off to the station after Sue.3

Ys

Sam

Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

Editorial Signs

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1 Orion and Mollie Clemens had been married for eighteen years.

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2 This visit was delayed until late January (see 22 Jan 73 to PAM). Twenty-year-old Annie Moffett spent the holiday in Quincy, Illinois, at the home of her aunt and uncle, Sally and Erasmus M. Moffett (Annie Moffett to PAM, 25 Dec 72, CU-MARK; MTBus, 19, 26). The “other two” were Pamela and Samuel Moffett.

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3 Susan Crane.

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

MS, Jean Webster McKinney Family Papers, Vassar College Library (NPV).

Previous publication: L5, 254–255; MTBus, 122–23.

Provenance:see McKinney Family Papers in Description of Provenance.

Emendations and textual notes:

so • [possibly ‘as’]

the that • theat

hand-glass • hand-|glass

justing • [sic]