Vol 3 Section 0218
Rudolph Lindau spent part of to-day with us—on his way back to his post at Constantinople. Looks as well as ever.
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The aged Countess Khevenhuller called, & told us about the man who is dying at Anstallt. She is aunt to the “black Princess,” & just as lovely in spirit.
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News of the fall of Santiago.
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Looks as if there will be a revolution in Austria. A reconcilement of the parties seems as improbable as ever [NB 40 TS 26].
Notes: Count Richard Coudenhove. Dolmetsch mentions him as a “luminary,” and that, “Twain’s frequent notebook references suggest the count may have been the one who introduced Mark Twain to the baroness [von Suttner]” [184]. The Battle of Santiago, in which the Spanish fleet was destroyed trying to run the American blockade, took place on July 3 . News of it would have reached Vienna by cable as early as July 4. The separators above after the first entry may reflect somewhat later dates prior to the next dated entry, Aug. 4.
July 16 Saturday
July 17 Sunday
July 18 Monday
July 19 Tuesday
July 20 Wednesday – At the Villa Paulhof in Kaltenleutgeben, Austria, Sam wrote to Frank Bliss that it wasn’t possible for him to come over, what with advance rent paid, the “educational arrangements” of his daughters, and all.
Yes, it was best to talk direct with the Harpers; also, if you needed me to help I was there to do it, from the very beginning, in the person of Mr. Rogers. You didn’t need to wait all these months; he is always there representing me and armed with full authority to transact business for me and for Mrs. Clemens. …
Four or five days ago I wrote Mr. Rogers a letter which contained about what I should say to the Harpers if I were over there. If I can think of anything to add to that letter I will do it today. For the life of me I cannot see why the Harpers should object to your proposition. It is not comprehensible to me [MTP].
Sam also wrote a short note to James R. Clemens, who was to be in Vienna with his father. Sam suggested next Monday afternoon, July 25, and asked if they wanted to come to Kaltenleutgeben or if they wanted the Clemenses to come into Vienna, and if the latter, where and at what hour? [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, adding a PS to his July 9 letter, already sent. Sam requested that $1,500 of the $2,500 in Whitmore’s hands be sent to H.H. Rogers, and asked if he would tell Frank Bliss to sent the July half-yearly royalty money to Rogers also. He reported he was “still at work answering the dray-load of ancient letters you sent!” [MTP].
Sam also replied to Allen Simpson of Adelaide, Australia (his not extant):
Dear Mr. Simpson.—It is a great pleasure to me to know that in Australia the feeling of kinship moves the people to sympathy with us, and that Dewey’s—and now, no doubt, Sampson’s—British-like performance stirs them. The Austrians used to tell me the Spaniards would whip us a few times at the start, because we were ignorant of war; but I said, ‘We are merely Britishers under another name, and, ignorant or not, you will see the blood show up.’ The war has brought England and America close together, and to my mind that is the biggest dividend that any war in this world has ever paid. If this feeling is ever to grow cold again I do not
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.