To Olivia L. Clemens
4 December 1881 • Quebec, Canada
(MS: Christie’s, New York, May 1991, UCCL 02109)
Quebec, Sunday Morning.
Livy darling, I received a letter from Monsieur Frèchette this morning, in which certain citizens of Montreal tendered me a public dinner next Thursday, & by Osgood’s cogent advice I accepted it. I would have accepted anyway, & very cheerfully but for the delay of two days—for I was purposing to go to Boston Tuesday & home Wednesday; whereas, now I go to Boston Friday & home Saturday. I have to go by Boston on account of business.
We drove about the steep hills & narrow, crooked streets of this old town during three hours, yesterday, in a sleigh, in a driving snow storm. The people here don’t mind snow; they were all out, plodding around on their affairs—especially the children, who were wallowing around everywhere, like snow images, & having a mighty good time. I wish I could describe the winter costume of the young girls, but I can’t. It is grave & simple, but graceful & pretty—the top of it is a brimless fur cap. Maybe it is the costume that makes pretty girls [seems] so monotonously plenty here. It was a kind of relief to strike a homely face occasionally.
You descend into some of the streets by long, deep [stairways]; & in the strong [moonlight], last night, these were very picturesque. I did wish you were here to see these things. You couldn’t by any possibility sleep in these beds, though, or enjoy the food.
Goodnight, sweetheart, & give my respects to the cubs.
Samℓ.
Mrs. S. L. Clemens | Hartford | Conn [return address:] windsor hotel montreal. [postmarked:] quebec canada. de 4 81 am [and] rec’d. hartford conn. [dec 10] 8pm
Textual Commentary
Source text(s):Previous publication:
MTL, 1:409–10; Christie’s catalog, 17–18 May 1991, lot 92, partial publication; Profiles in History catalog, 19 December 2013, lot 79, MS facsimile and partial publication.
Provenance:
Chester L. Davis, Sr., probably acquired the MS from Clara Clemens Samossoud sometime between 1949 and 1962 (see Samossoud Collection in Description of Provenance.). After his death in 1987, the MS was owned by Chester L. Davis, Jr., who sold it through Christie’s in December 1991. It was again offered for sale by Profiles in History in December 2013.
Emendations and textual notes:
seems • [sic]
stairways • stair- | ways
moonlight • moon- | light
dec 10 • dec 1[0] [badly inked]
