Vol 3 Section 0873
Next Saturday forenoon, the 24th, my daughter Jean will arrive at Chamberlain’s in the guard of a trained nurse & of a maid who has served in our family 22 years, & I beg that you & the ladies will tell Jean how & where to seek comfortable & reputable quarters for herself & gang somewhere in the town if you can. Jean has just pulled through a siege of double pneumonia & is ordered South for a few weeks to recuperate. I do not go with her because I must stay & take care of my part of the hospital. The other daughter is laid up, these past few days, & the mother has not been out of bed for more than 5 months. I am the only member of
the family fit for military duty [MTP]. Note: this may be Gen. Edward M. McCook (1833-1909); see July 19, 1866 entry.
Sam’s notebook : “Sam Jones’s Reception in Heaven. / [Horiz. Line separator] / Put in Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven / [Horiz. Line separator] / The Scotch boy & Westminster Abbey” [NB 46 TS 7].
David A. Munro wrote to Sam. “I fully expect that McCracken will have an article in the March number [NAR]. … I suppose you have noticed that you drew the fire of Her Divine Supremacy Pope Mary Baker S. Eddy I in an Encyclical issued a few days ago”[MTP].
January 21 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Robert (not further identified) about a court case, unspecified.
There was a charge against me.
One witness was called.
That witness testified.
That settled it.
Counter testimony not desired.
And not asked for.
Case closed. Verdict rendered.
Isn’t it funny? Doesn’t it dazzle? Do you believe God could beat it for intelligence? Right offhand, I mean, & without calling in help?
Twenty years’ reputation for prompt payment all knocked to rags with one whack from a clerk’s bat!
My butcher would value his clerk’s evidence, but he wouldn’t reason that it covered both sides of the case until he had consulted me. He would argue that a 20-year reputation was a sort of testimony, just by itself. But we can’t always have butchers for Directors [MTP].
Sam’s notebook: “Millionairesses marrying titles. / Why not? / The daily worship of the King by English journals who think it is less vulgar than our worship of money & the people who have it. / The source is the same—it is the mere human worship of power, & envy of the possession of it” [NB 46 TS 7].
John F. Carr wrote from Yonkers, NY to Sam. “The enclosed letter to the ‘Sun’ is a reply to Mrs. Eddy’s recent ‘statement.’ It has been ‘respectfully declined.’ I take the liberty of sending it to you on the chance that you may not be acquainted with the particular facts there stated, and that they may possibly be of use to you. If your second article has not yet produced a copy of ‘Christ and Christmas,’ I think that I could get one for you from a friend” [MTP].
Muriel M. Pears wrote from Mentone, France to Sam. “Of course you do not realize how difficult it is for a mere Human Girl to say thank you adequately for benefits received from One who Dwells in Olympian Heights?” Muriel, the Juggernaut Club member for Scotland, wrote a typically long, chatty, flowery letter about her reading, her travels, and sent best wishes, mentioning Livy’s health [MTP].
January 22 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Why be vain of your lineage? All human beings are despicable— emperors & other slaves alike. / Man measures himself by his giants” [NB 46 TS 7].
Thomas Bailey Aldrich wrote from Boston to Sam. “The Tavern Club boys are purposing to celebrate (on Feb.
their warm remembrance of Howell’s presidency of the association; to which festival you have been or will be
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.