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He always dealt with himself in this unsparing way； but those who were
about him then have left a different story。
It was all without avail。 Mr。 Langdon rallied； and early in July there
was hope for his recovery。 He failed again； and on the afternoon of the
6th of August he died。 To Mrs。 Clemens； delicate and greatly worn with
the anxiety and strain of watching； the blow was a crushing one。 It was
the beginning of a series of disasters which would mark the entire
remaining period of their Buffalo residence。
There had been a partial plan for spending the summer in England； and a
more definite one for joining the Twichells in the Adirondacks。 Both of
these projects were now abandoned。 Mrs。 Clemens concluded that she would
be better at home than anywhere else； and invited an old school friend； a
Miss Emma Nye； to visit her。
But the shadow of death had not been lifted from the Clemens household。
Miss Nye presently fell ill with typhoid fever。 There followed another
long period of anxiety and nursing； ending with the death of the visitor
in the new home； September 29th。 The young wife was now in very delicate
health； genuinely ill； in fact。 The happy home had become a place of
sorrow…of troubled nights and days。 Another friend came to cheer them；
and on this friend's departure Mrs。 Clemens drove to the railway station。
It was a hurried trip over rough streets to catch the train。 She was
prostrated on her return； and a little later； November 7； 1870； her first
child； Langdon； was prematurely born。 A dangerous illness followed； and
complete recovery was long delayed。 But on the l2th the crisis seemed
passed； and the new father wrote a playful letter to the Twichells； as
coming from the late arrival：
DEAR UNCLE AND AUNT；I came into the world on the 7th inst。； and
consequently am about five days old now。 I have had wretched health
ever since I made my appearance 。 。 。 I am not corpulent； nor am
I robust in any way。 At birth I only weighed four and one…half
pounds with my clothes onand the clothes were the chief feature of
the weight； too； I am obliged to confess； but I am doing finely； all
things considered 。 。 。 。 My little mother is very bright and
cheery； and I guess she is pretty happy； but I don't know what
about。 She laughs a great deal； notwithstanding she is sick abed。
P。 S。Father says I had better write because you will be more
interested in me； just now； than in the rest of the family。
A week later Clemens； as himself； wrote：
Livy is up and the prince keeps her busy and anxious these latter
days and nights； but I am a bachelor up…stairs and don't have to
jump up and get the soothing sirup； though I would as soon do it as
not； I assure you。 （Livy will be certain to read this letter。）
Tell Harmony that I do hold the baby； and do it pretty handily too；
though with occasional apprehensions that his loose head will fall
off。 I don't have to quiet him； he hardly ever utters a cry。 He is
always thinking about something。 He is a patient； good little baby。
Further along he refers to one of his reforms：
Smoke？ I always smoke from three till five on Sunday afternoons；
and in New York； the other day； I smoked a week； day and night。 But
when Livy is well I smoke only those two hours on Sunday。 I'm boss
of the habit now； and shall never let it boss me any more。
Originally I quit solely on Livy's account （not that I believed
there was the faintest reason in the matter； but just as I would
deprive myself of sugar in my coffee if she wished it； or quit
wearing socks if she thought them immoral）； and I stick to it yet on
Livy's account； and shall always continue to do so without a pang。
But somehow it seems a pity that you quit； for Mrs。 T。 didn't mind
it； if I remember rightly。 Ah； it is turning one's back upon a
kindly Providence to spurn away from us the good creature he sent to
make the breath of life a luxury as well as a necessity； enjoyable
as well as useful。 To go quit smoking； when there ain't any
sufficient excuse for it！why； my old boy； when they used to tell
me I would shorten my life ten years by smoking； they little knew
the devotee they were wasting their puerile words upon； they little
knew how trivial and valueless I would regard a decade that had no
smoking in it！ But I won't persuade you； TwichellI won't until I
see you againbut then we'll smoke for a week together； and then
shut off again。
LXXX
LITERARY PROJECTS
The success of the Innocents naturally made a thrifty publisher like
Bliss anxious for a second experiment。 He had begun early in the year to
talk about another book； but nothing had come of it beyond a project or
two； more or less hazy and unpursued。 Clemens at one time developed a
plan for a Noah's Ark book； which was to detail the cruise of the Ark in
diaries kept by various members of it…Shem； Ham； and the others。 He
really wrote some of it at the time； and it was an idea he never entirely
lost track of。 All along among his manuscripts appear fragments from
those ancient voyagers。 One of the earlier entries will show the style
and purpose of the undertaking。 It is from Shem's record：
Friday： Papa's birthday。 He is 600 years old。 We celebrated it in
a big； black tent。 Principal men of the tribe present。 Afterward
they were shown over the ark； which was looking desolate and empty
and dreary on account of a misunderstanding with the workmen about
wages。 Methuselah was as free with his criticisms as usual； and as
voluble and familiar； which I and my brothers do not like； for we
are past our one hundredth year and married。 He still calls me
Shemmy； just as he did when I was a child of sixty。 I am still but
a youth； it is true； but youth has its feelings； and I do not like
this 。 。 。 。
Saturday： Keeping the Sabbath。
Sunday： Papa has yielded the advance and everybody is hard at work。
The shipyard is so crowded that the men hinder each other； everybody
hurrying or being hurried； the rush and confusion and shouting and
wrangling are astonishing to our family； who have always been used
to a quiet； country life。
It was from this germ that in a later day grew the diaries of Adam and
Eve； though nothing very satisfactory ever came of this preliminary
attempt。 The author had faith in it； however。 To Bliss he wrote：
I mean to take plenty of time and pains with the Noah's Ark book；
maybe it will be several years before it is all written； but it will
be a perfect lightning striker when it is done。
You can have the first say （that is plain enough） on that or any
other book I may prepare for the press； as long as you deal in a
fair； open； and honorable way with me。 I do not think you will ever
find me doing otherwise with you。 I can get a book ready for you
any time you want it； but you can't want one before this time next
year； so I have plenty of time。
Bliss was only temporarily appeased。 He realized that to get a book
ready by the time he wanted it…a book of sufficient size and importance
to maintain the pace set by the Innocents meant rather more immediate
action than his author seemed to contemplate。 Futhermore； he knew that
other publishers were besieging the author of the Innocents； a
disquieting thought。 In early July； when Mr。 Langdon's condition had
temporarily improved； Bliss had come to Elmira and proposed a book which
should relate the author's travels and experiences in the Far West。 It
was an inviting subject； and Clemens； by this time more attracted by the
idea of authorship and its rewards； readily enough agreed to undertake
the volume。 He had been offered half profits； and suggested that the new
contract be arranged upon these terms。 Bliss； figuring on a sale of
100；000 copies； proposed seven and one…half per cent。 royalty as an
equivalent； and the contract was so arranged。 In after…years； when the
cost of manufacture and paper had become greatly reduced； Clemens； with
but a confused notion of business details； believed he had been misled by
Bliss in this contract； and was bitter and resentful accordingly。 The
figures remain； however； to show that Bliss dealt fairly。 Seven and one…
half per cent。 of a subscription book did represent half profits up to
100；000 copies when the contract was drawn； but it required ten years to
sell that quantity； and in that time conditions had changed。 Bliss could
hardly foresee that these things would be so； and as he was dead when the
book touched the 100；000 mark he could not explain or readjust matters；
whatever might have been his inclination。
Clemens was pleased enough with the contract when it was made。 To Orion
he wrote July 15 （1870）：
Per contract I must have another six…hundred…page book ready for my
publisher January 1st； and I only began it to…day。 The subject of
it is a secret； because I may possibly