Dec. 27/81.
My Dear House
All right, my boy, Jan. ‸ 2d or‸ 3d; for by that time we shall get have possession of all the essential parts of the house, & shall no longer feel cramped for room. We got possession of the library two days ago, & shall get possession of the dining-room [tomorrow]. Thursday my wife’s brother & sister will return to Elmira, & that will release a bedroom for you, on the second floor; Koto’s room has not been meddled with (3d floor); so it is always ready.
Now here is our idea. You are to determine your date for leaving us, yourselves, giving us as lengthy a visit as your affairs will allow you. If we named the date of your leaving, we should make it April 1st or 15th, when Osgood & I leave for the Mississippi river. This would detain you longer than might be convenient for you, albeit it would be entirely convenient for us, I assure you. Now then, in order to make everything smooth & easy, you accept April 15, or name the date yourself; giving us, as I said before, as much time of a visit as you can smouch from those other people whom you propose to visit. I guess that is the practical & sensible way. We all understand each other, & don’t have to throw in any unveracities for form’s sake. We want as much of you as we can get; & at the same time we must not inconvenience you or hamper your plans.
What a pity that poor Koto has been so villainously treated. Confound the dentists, I have had experience of them, to my grief. Koto’s xmas cards came, & they gave delight; & Mrs. Clemens said, “nobody but Koto wcould have invented that dainty way of”—something—doing them up & attaching her card, I believe.
[X] I had half a dozen of my books printed on China paper for Susie & Bay & Koto & two or three other especial friends. Don’t you let me forget to hand that book to Koto; for I had her in mind all the time I was ordering those special copies, & I should feel even more ridiculous than usual if I forgot it now. Love to you both from us all.
Yrs Ever
Mark.
[letter docketed by House:] Clemens | Dec. 27th 1881.
Textual Commentary
Source text(s):Previous publication:
MicroPUL, reel 2.
Provenance:
The Edward Howard House Collection was deposited at ViU by Clifton Waller Barrett on 24 October 1961.
Emendations and textual notes:
tomorrow • to- | morrow
X • [possibly not by SLC, inscribed after receipt]
