November 22 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Interview; 10 to 12 a.m. / Mr. E. Bunbury— / Caulfield (‘Italian Gazette.)” [NB 46 TS 30].
Salvatore Cortesi of the Associated Press in Rome, Italy, wrote to Sam, enclosing a clipping from an unspecified newspaper, “Priest Attacks Mark Twain; Calling Him a Scurrilous Buffoon—Defends Veneration of Relics”. The short article focused on a sermon by Rev. John J. Fullam, St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Yonkers, NY. Cortesi sought a comment from Mark Twain on the subject “with the intention of having it published” [MTP].
George Gregory Smith sent Sam copies of his letter to Arthur W. Higgs, real estate agent, Florence about the Villa Quarto, dated Sept. 30, 1903, and two from Higgs, dated Sept. 18 and 29. No letter directly to Sam is in the file [MTP].
George Gregory Smith also wrote to his mother:
We see a good deal of Mark Twain. He has just left this morning. He called to see about a Doctor for Mrs. Clemens. She is a very confirmed invalid with some sort of heart trouble. She had a very bad night & he wanted a Doctor. He finally chose Paggi who perhaps stands quite at the head of Florentine Drs. We are to have them, i.e. the Clemens to dinner Thanksgiving day. Of course Mrs. Clemens cannot come and one of the daughters will have to stay with her, but Mark Twain & one daughter will come [Orth 31]. Note: Later, two of Livy’s doctors were Prof. Pietro Grocco and Dr. Giovanni Nesti [Hill 72].