January 28 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Joe Twichell.
P.S. Livy had a slight backset yesterday, so the doctor has just told me he is going to shut off my daily visit for a few days & then reduce it to 8 or 10 minutes a day. It will distress her, & may have an ill effect at first, but later results will show the wisdom of it no doubt.
Katy’s absence with Jean makes a new difficulty: Livy charges Clara with orders for Katy every day. For months Katy has prepared special dishes for Livy, & now Livy wants her stirred up—she is growing careless in her cooking the past few days & isn’t up to standard! By gracious we can’t counterfeit Katy’s cookery! [across left side of page]
Jean is enjoying herself very well at Old Point Comfort. [recovering from pneumonia] [across right side of page]
Clara has asked Judy to come up & we are hoping she will say yes [MTP].
Sam’s notebook listed the following people (down the page, no commas): “B.P. Shillaber, Bessie Stone & friend, Lord Wolseley (‘Luck’), Twichell’s brother-in-law & Mr. Dawson (England), Fitzhugh Ludlow— Bierstad married his widow” [NB 46 TS 9].
Frederick A. Duneka wrote to Sam. “Here is an admirer who offers you a set of Mother Eddy at his own price. We turn him over to you. / I do wish we could feel that the Christian Science book could be completed this spring. It is mighty strong meat” [MTP].
Isaac Laudman wrote from Temple Emanu-El in Montreal to Sam. “I enclose a letter to you from a son of Mois Gerson, of Constantinople and Paris, whom you have immortalized in your ‘Innocents Abroad.’” Laudman was teaching the young man English, though he now spoke five languages, and he was obliquely asking Sam to help get him “located” [MTP]. Note: the man immortalized in IA, chapter 35 was “Faraway Moses,” and Laudman supplies his son’s name, Mois Gerson, Jr. See Jan. 27 from Gerson.