To
Charles J. Langdon
per Fanny C. Hesse
1 November 1876 • Hartford, Conn. (Paraphrase and transcript, correspondence card: California Book Auction catalog, 1 and 15 October 1960, lot 414, UCCL 01385)
per Fanny C. Hesse
1 November 1876 • Hartford, Conn. (Paraphrase and transcript, correspondence card: California Book Auction catalog, 1 and 15 October 1960, lot 414, UCCL 01385)
. . . a 3x5 correspondence card from Samuel L. Clemens, dated Hartford Nov. 1st 1876 and addressed to “Dear Charley” in which Clemens explains why he has not granted the favor requested and extends family greetings. 14 lines of penmanship on two sides of lt. blue card, evidently not the writing of Clemens, but his signature is boldly added “Saml L. Clemens” with a flourish and a postscript “That man’s cheek is super-humanⒶemendation”. Card is loose and bears an SLC monogram within a diamond, printed in red, in upper left corner.1explanatory note
Explanatory Notes
1 Clemens probably wrote this letter to his brother-in-law, Charles J. Langdon, the
only Charles whom he consistently addressed as “Charley” at this time. Langdon presumably
had transmitted the “favor requested,” but nothing is known about it or about the
cheeky requester. Fanny C. Hesse (1821?–1907) served off and on as Clemens’s secretary
from late 1876 until 4 May 1877, and again in November and December 1877. From 1882
to 1893 she was in charge of Hatfield House at Smith College in Northhampton, Massachusetts
(FamSk, 60; AutoMT3, 464).
Emendations and Textual Notes
Ⓐ super-human ● super- | human
Paraphrase and transcript, correspondence card, California Book Auction catalog, sale of 1 and 15 October 1960, lot 414.
MicroPUL, reel 1.