O hang my grandmother, did I make that check $3. 50! I meant to make it right—(i. e. $4.50)—& the stub in my check-bookⒶemendation says I did. Figures won’t lie, of course, but stubs may; therefore won’t you please look into this matter & (in case I have made the mistake) let me know? There were 6 bottles—all white.

Replies. 1. Jane Lampton Clemens, (after my mother.) She (the child,) is addressed as Jean, & also as Jessie, in non-official intercourse—her official name doesn’t seem to be over-popular with the hill tribe.

2. lightly canceled with Xs: She is “most like”—well, say an orange that is a little mildewed in spots. No—I discover you don’t mean complexion, but who is she most like? That is easily answered: Mrs. Crane says, Livy; Livy says, my mother; Bay Clemens says, me; Susie Clemens says, Bay; I think she looks most like a successful attempt to resemble nobody. Take your choice.

Expunged, by order.

3. heavily canceled: Didn’t “tell you,” because we weren’t certain; thought it was flesh; supposed it would wear off. But we changed, as time rolled on; toward the last we estimated it at twins, at the very outside.

4. No—O, no, I don’t think she had any actually really definite “intentions” at that time. 〚“Intentions” is mighty good!〛

O dear, I never imagined you were drifting into invalidity as a settled thing. I think we both always looked upon you as a sort of Leyden jar, or Rumkoff cow coil, or Voltaic battery, or whatever that thing is which holds lightnings & mighty forces captive in a vessel which is apparently much too frail for its office, & yet after all isn’t. But the spine!—come, this is a surprise, & anything but a pleasant one.

There are two Taylors in the business—Dr. George H. Taylor is the only right one—bear that in mind. LivyⒶemendation had a high opinion of him & his methods & his establishment; he did her great good. But this was 12 or 15 years ago; so her testimony is rather stale; for the she has had the impression, latterly, that his place has become a resort for fashionables—a mere swell boarding-house—& that its efficiency had rather fallen off. Therefore we have applied for later information to Livy’s physician, Mrs. Zippie Brooks—& she is an able one & her testimony can be trusted. She was down there lately, & says it is a mistake; & that Dr. Taylor is as full of enthusiasm as ever, & as attentive to his patients; & that he gives his personal attention to the patients, & has fine success with spinal diseases—curvatures & all sorts. Therefore go to him. He is located out toward the Park—50th street, or thereabouts.

It is too bad that you cannot travel by rail, for now you will go by boat—otherwise we might hope you would break your journey with us in Hartford. Maybe you can do that on your return. Let us hope so.

We have at last got Livy, greatly against her will, to let the wet nurse do all the nursing. Both child & mother are already the gainers by it. Both are prospering tolerably fairly. Livy has been lifted into a rocking chair & hauled out on to the porch, to-day, for the first time, & had the matchless air & the lovely prospect from our high perch. She has had good luck all these 3 weeks of confinement—only one hot day in the lot—open fire in the room a good part of the time.

Love to Winny, & John, & Howells. And speaking of Howells, he ought to use the stylographic pen, the best fountain-pen yet invented—he ought to, but of course he won’t—a blamed old sodden-headed conservative—but you see, yourself, what nice clean uniform MS it makes. John Hay sent me his speech—a rattling good one.