Never the Twain Shall Meet

We will never meet Mark Twain ( the pen name of Samuel Clemens), but standing in his home, surrounded by possessions that were his, a glimpse. Reading his works penned in the third story “man cave”, I know more. Reading what a few of our American Presidents had to say about Mark Twain, yet another piece. Mark Twain was a storyteller!  Our guide related about his stories at dinner parties, I felt at home.

This recent visit was a warm late summer day and I could imagine Twain at his desk writing and growing drowsy. The guide told us a hammock once hung on the third floor porch so he could nap out there. It is in among the tree tops and so resembled a tree house. From there the views were of the carriage house, the Park River (now underground), Harriet Beecher Stowe’s house, and the greenhouse that supplied table flowers year round.

As I stood on the porch I tried to imagine the family here. One could easily imagine children playing
here even on a rainy day. Their voices drifting up to their father far above them in the hammock or at his desk. I could almost hear the crunch of the gravel as a carriage bearing guests could have come up the drive way and paused under the portico for them to disembark.

The Clemens family kept some ducks who had this view of the house from down near the river and marsh. Today cars park where they once swam, but it is not hard to imagine on a warm summer afternoon.

A unique example of Victorian architecture from top to bottom, the Twain/Clemens home was state of the art when built and yet designed for the family to enjoy. A favorite feature of mine is the curved butlers pantry that connects the service wing to the main house. Only the butler had access, it was his little kingdom. China and silver services were kept here and  he served the meals from this space.

Here are a few more pictures from my most recent visit:

                                                        details details everywhere!

                              Glass conservatory off the family library complete with fountain!

 In Connecticut or coming to Connecticut here is the link to the Twain Visitor Center:
                                                   http://www.marktwainhouse.org/

         His boyhood home in Missouri is a museum as well: http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/

Mark Twain, many of his quotes you will recognize even if you did not know they were from him.