Beschreibung:

CLEMENS, SAMUEL LANGHORNE. Autograph letter signed ("Saml.") to his wife Livy in Baden-Baden, n.p. [Germany], "Hotel Gemmi," n.d. [probably 5 August 1878]. 4 pages, 12mo, in light pencil on two sheets of light brown paper removed from a notebook, a slight fold tear, with the original envelope addressed by Clemens (torn) . MORE TRAMPING ABROAD In early August 1878 Clemens and his long-time friend Joseph Twichell set out to gather "material and adventures for a European travel book. The two went off on the 'tramp abroad' of the book's title [ A Tramp Abroad , 1880], a walking tour -- by rail, carriage, and boat, as it turned out -- through the Black Forest and the Swiss Alps to Lausanne and Geneva" -- Justin Kaplan, Mr. Clemens & Mark Twain (New York, 1966), p. 212. "...we had a lovely day -- jogged right along with a good horse & sensible driver -- the last 2 hours right behind an open carriage filled with a pleasant German family...At table d'hote tonight, 3 dishes were enough for me & then I bored along tediously through the bill of fare with a back ache, not daring to get up & bow to the German family & leave. I meant to sit it through & make them get up first & do the bowing; but at last Joe [Joseph Twichell] took pity on me & said he would get up & drop them a curtsy & put me out of my misery. I was grateful. He got up & delivered a succession of frank & hearty bows, accompanying them with an atmosphere of good fellowship which would have made even an English family surrender. Of course the Germans responded -- so I got right up & they had to respond to my salaams too. So ' that was done'..."