Mark Twain Project :: Letters :: : an electronic text

To Francis E. Bliss
11 July 1872 • New Saybrook, Conn.
(Henkels 1930, lot 351, UCCL 00765)

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[fenwick hall. d. a. rood, proprietor.

new saybrook, conn., July 11, 187 2 ]

[Friend Frank— ]

Is your father at home? & does he ever come down here. I have heard from Bret [Harte1

. . . .

but] I can’t leave here very well just now as our child is not well.

[Mark. ]

Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

Editorial Signs

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1 Clemens had been trying to bring Elisha Bliss and Harte together to discuss publishing a book by Harte since mid-June (15 June 72 to Howells, n. 2). Harte’s letter to Clemens of 6 July, written from his sister’s family hotel in Morristown, New Jersey, has been found only as a fragmentary quotation in an auction catalog:

I don’t know what to say about going to Saybrook[.] The baby has been dangerously sick, and we shall not be able to leave here until she is better ... until Mrs Harte finds the wet-nurse, who, the Dr. says is essential ... I have spent much of my holiday season running to the Doctor’s ... (distant about 3 miles) and going to the city wet-nurse hunting. (AAA 1925, lot 322)

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

Henkels 1930, lot 351, which describes the letter as an “A. L. S. 8vo, Fenwick Hall (with view of the Hotel), New Saybrook, Conn. July 11, 1872.”

glyph Previous publication: L5, 118.

glyph Emendations and textual notes:

fenwick ... 187 2 • [ reported, not quoted; text of letterhead adopted from 30 July 72 to MEC]

Friend Frank— • To Friend Frank.

Harte | .... | but • Harte *** but

Mark. • Signed “Mark.”