January 14 Thursday – At the Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence Sam dictated a note in Italian to daughter Clara for Rev. Raffaello Stiattesi asking his aid in getting the Countess Massiglia to keep her dog quiet, as it was disturbing Livy’s sleep. He offered 100 lire to the church for their good offices [MTP: Superior Auction Galleries catalog, Nov. 6, 1993, Item 144].
Isabel Lyon’s diary: “About January 14, Mr. Clemens began to dictate to me. His idea of writing an autobiography had never proved successful, for to his mind autobiography is like narrative & should be spoken. At Mrs. Clemens’s suggestion we tried, and Mr. Clemens found that he could do it to a charm. In fact he loves the work. But we had to stop for he has been ill, Mrs. Clemens has been very ill, & I too have taken a weary turn in bed” [AMT 1:20; Trombley, MTOW 33]. Note: the first source dates this as Feb. 28, and points out that dictating began prior to Feb. 14, at least as early as Jan. 8, 1904. Most of the Florence dictations have been lost. See also MT to Howells Jan. 16.
Sam stayed up late reading Thomas Bailey Aldrich’s “new book”: Ponkapog Papers (1903) [Jan. 16 to Howells].
Sam’s notebook: “Mailed ‘St. Joan of Arc’ to the Harpers. Words 5,015—$1,504.50 / (Mailed it Jan. 19, but wrote Jan 20 to recall it.) / [Horiz. Line separator] / To be mailed soon: / ‘Italian with Grammar’ —5,116 words, $1,534 / [Horiz. Line separator] / Died, at Keokuk, Mrs. O. Clemens” [NB 47 TS 3]. Note: the mailing and recalling (Jan. 19 and Jan. 20), Mollie Clemens’ death (Jan. 15) all show this entry was made after Jan. 14.
Larkin G. Mead, sculptor and Elinor Howells’ brother, and now in Florence, wrote to Sam. He had been prevented from a visit by his wife’s bronchitis; she wanted to accompany him when he called. He hoped to come when she improved [MTP].