Vol 3 Section 0698
John Kennedy, real estate agent 217 W. 125th St., N.Y. wrote to Sam that Appletons were “a little undecided” about selling; Perkins decided not to sell. Kennedy would have “some very choice places between Riverdale and Ardsley this week” which he would mail [MTP].
Hélène Elisabeth Picard wrote from St. Die (Vosges), France, addressing Sam with his title in the Juggernaut Club: “My dear Chief Servant” and thanking him for the asked -for autograph. In a hand very formal and very clear she called herself “one of your most devoted readers” [MTP].
March 11 Tuesday – Livy’s diary: “Mr Norman Hapgood lunched with us. Mr. Rondegger called” [MTP: DV161].
William Evarts Benjamin wrote from the Hotel Brighton, Atlantic City to Sam.
I have just heard from my stenographer that you called at my office yesterday and inquired about the Woodruff house at South Tarrytown. / I spoke to Jaffrey about it in your behalf he day after our visit. He said it cost $75,000 that the Woodruffs asked $60,000 for it but he thought $50,000 or $40,000 might buy it. Tax is about $1000 [MTP]. Note: he hadn’t seen the inside and suggested that they go with Livy to inspect it. Livy would buy the Casey house in Tarrytown, so the Woodruff was evidently another.
March 12 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook:
To-day came Miss Smith to ask me to discuss Mrs. Astor’s late literary subway explosion, & I said my price would be $5,000. She told me how the Journal had been misusing me & my name. (I write this March 13.) Paul R. Reynolds came to get me exclusively for a magazine. Represents Sampson Low & others, London. Address, 70 Fifth Ave.” [NB 45 TS 5]. Note: see Mar. 10 on the Astor article in question, which evidently Sam wanted to settle out of court for. Miss Nixola Greeley Smith, granddaughter to Horace Greeley. See her note to Sam for Apr. 10, 1902.
In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to William Evarts Benjamin, H.H. Rogers’ son-in-law.
I thank you very much. I leave to-morrow with Mr. Rogers, but Mrs. Clemens will continue the raid, along with the daughters. She has made a collection of houses, & when she has finished her pilgrimage she will know all about the houses between here & the pole, & in addition will know which one, she wants—& that’s a fortunate make of mind. I think it was Strafford whom they called “Thorough.” Dear sir, he wasn’t in it with the madam! [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Poultney Bigelow.
I thanked you straight out of the deeps of my heart for that dedication, framing the thanks as I read your words, and phrasing them in the swift and decisive way which results from strong impulse—and so, when you reproached me it caught me unexpectant and I did not know where I was at. Was it a case of thinking I had wound my watch when I hadn’t? Did I merely write the letter in my head, and carry away the impression that I had put it on paper also—and hadn’t? God knows—or His reputation is over-rated. In any case I was as sorry as a person can be who has seemed unthankful when he was not; and I hoped you would run up here and see us, and let me disburden myself. I was not able to catch you at your father’s house, where I went to ask a question as to your dates and movements, and stayed a couple of hours and wanted to stay a couple more— saw more of your father than he had seen of you, he said; by which I knew you had no time for visiting trips among friends.
We have been scouring these regions for a week, now, hunting for a house to buy, and so in the course of one of these raids we stumbled upon Mrs. Bigelow’s sister in her granite castle and had the pleasure of making her acquaintance. Mrs. Clemens will go on seeking, but I am killed [MTP].
He disclosed that the Kanawha would set sail the following day, Mar. 13.
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.