February 23 Wednesday-In Hamilton, Bermuda Sam finished his Feb, 21 and 22 to daughter Clara, 117 W. 69 St. NYC c/o Miss Gordon.
Feb, 23. I don’t know why you should love me, I have not deserved it; & the love Jean manifested for me astonished me daily; I recognised its sincerity, but could not divine the source of it, nor what had bred it & kept it alive, any more thanI can divine why you love me nor how you keep it up. But I was deeply grateful to Jean for that unearned love, & I am deeply grateful to you for yours. More than once I have been humiliated by my resemblance to God the Father; He is always longing for the love of His children, & trying to get it on the cheapest & laziest terms He can invent.
Maybe I ought to have said “half-wasted.” Bless your heart. I put in two or three years on that Autobiography in order to add 28 years to my book-lives. Congress has now gone & added 14 of the 28; & the law is now in such a sane shape that Congress can be persuaded presently, without difficulty, to add another 14. I can get it done myself if I live to go to Washington for half a week next winter,
My child,! wasn’t doing the Autobiography in the world’s interest, but only in yours & Jean’s. But never mind, dear, I'm not going to “bury you alive.”
Noon. Mildred Howells was cabled for, & sailed for home yesterday. “Nothing serious”—probably the usual kindly falsehood. It is her mother, no doubt.
With lots & lots & ever so much love, you dearest & only child, / Marcus.
Can’t you send me a copy of Katy’s letter? [MTP]. Note: evidently some conflict had been experienced Over Katy’s authority as housekeeper at Stormfield, what with Mr, & Mrs. Albert Bigelow Paine moving in after Jean’s death. See Feb. 20 to Katy Leary, with Sam reassuring her that her role as housekeeper was supreme. It’s likely that Katy had complained or questioned her position in a letter to Clara.
Sam also wrote to Louise Paine, and enclosed a valentine. Text not available [MTP: Seven Gables Bookstore letter, 5 Dec. 1969]
Edith Anderson Logan sent Sam a printed invitation for the wedding of her daughter for this date at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NYC [MTP]. Note; likely sometime before this actual wedding date.