Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 6 (1907-1910) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 60 pages of information about Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 6 (1907-1910).

Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 6 (1907-1910) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 60 pages of information about Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 6 (1907-1910).
We sailed on the 12th of April, reaching New York on the 14th, as he had planned.  A day or two later, Mr. and Mrs. Gabrilowitsch, summoned from Italy by cable, arrived.  He suffered very little after reaching Stormfield, and his mind was comparatively clear up to the last day.  On the afternoon of April 21st he sank into a state of coma, and just at sunset he died.  Three days later, at Elmira, New York, he was laid beside Mrs. Clemens and those others who had preceded him.

The last day at Stormfield

By Bliss Carman.

                    At Redding, Connecticut,
                    The April sunrise pours
                    Over the hardwood ridges
                    Softening and greening now
                    In the first magic of Spring.

                    The wild cherry-trees are in bloom,
                    The bloodroot is white underfoot,
                    The serene early light flows on,
                    Touching with glory the world,
                    And flooding the large upper room
                    Where a sick man sleeps. 
                    Slowly he opens his eyes,
                    After long weariness, smiles,
                    And stretches arms overhead,
                    While those about him take heart.

                    With his awakening strength,
                    (Morning and spring in the air,
                    The strong clean scents of earth,
                    The call of the golden shaft,
                    Ringing across the hills)
                    He takes up his heartening book,
                    Opens the volume and reads,
                    A page of old rugged Carlyle,
                    The dour philosopher
                    Who looked askance upon life,
                    Lurid, ironical, grim,
                    Yet sound at the core. 
                    But weariness returns;
                    He lays the book aside
                    With his glasses upon the bed,
                    And gladly sleeps.  Sleep,
                    Blessed abundant sleep,
                    Is all that he needs.

                    And when the close of day
                    Reddens upon the hills
                    And washes the room with rose,
                    In the twilight hush
                    The Summoner comes to him
                    Ever so gently, unseen,
                    Touches him on the shoulder;
                    And with the departing sun
                    Our great funning friend is gone.

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Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 6 (1907-1910) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.