Vol 3 Section 0986
November 30 Monday – Sam’s 68th Birthday.
Rogers’ office sent Clemens a statement showing a New York payment by Bedford Petroleum Co. of Paris, France, for $1,200 [1903 Financials file MTP].
An unidentified person wrote to Sam. Only the envelope survives, bearing postmarks from San Francisco, Washington D.C., and Florence; with stamps from New South Wales, Australia [MTP]. Postmarked MUDGEE, NSW, which is NW of Sydney.
December – Sam’s story, “A Dog’s Tale” first ran in Harper’s Monthly this issue. Budd: “Shortly afterward it was published as a pamphlet…by the National Anti-Vivisection Society in London, dated 1903, although it was apparently not distributed until 1904. The story was published in a separate edition in September 1904 as A Dog’s Tale…and was included in the collection The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories (1906)”
[Collected 2: 1008].
Sir Thomas Wardle and Miss Wardle sent Sam a Christmas and New Year’s card; no note [MTP].
C.E. Guthrie Wright sent a 3×3 ½ inch Christmas and New Year’s card, folded with ribbon [MTP].
December, ca. – At the Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence Sam wrote two notes to Walpurga Ehrengarde Helena von Hohenthal Paget (Lady Paget hereafter), one on a Tuesday and one on a Sunday.
Dear Lady Paget: / I had a day off, yesterday, & should have gone to call upon you, but was interrupted. I will soon try again. Mrs. Clemens thanks you, & would be glad to accompany me, but she is an invalid & debarred.
Dear Lady Paget— / We are having very good luck with the gas now. Apparently the trouble was with the burners; I have substituted another kind.
I am very glad to have Mr. Cobb’s address. I had tried to keep it in my head, but it escaped [MTP]. Note:
this may be Arthur M. Cobb; see index.
December 1 Tuesday – Harper & Brothers wrote to Sam asking where they should send the vouchers due him and Livy [MTHHR 548n3]. At the Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence Sam cabled to Harper & Brothers: “Make all payments to Rogers / Clemens” [MTP].
Sam also wrote to John Y. MacAlister in London.
Only 2 days before your letter came (& while you were writing it, I guess) I cabled Mr. Rogers & asked him to put my surplus into stocks—for stocks seemed to have reached bottom at last. It is a thundering pity. I’d rather have it in Lysoform—if the Bergheims are going to manage it. Are they? Management is everything. But mismanagement is the other thing—as I know by American Plasmon (& other ventures of mine of an earlier time.)
Tell me about the management. And also, how long you can hold the ground floor door open for me. Will you?
I’ve had a pleasant chat with Biaggi—a most engaging personality [MTP]. Note: Guido Biagi, see Nov.
17. Lysoform was an antiseptic soap; see Hill p.75.
Edward B. Caulfield of the Italian Gazette wrote from Settignano, Italy to Sam:
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.