October 23 Thursday – At 10 a.m. in Riverdale, N.Y. Sam fired the second nurse, Margaret Garrety, and installed a new nurse at 11 a.m. [NB 45 TS 32]. Note: See NB entry Oct. 31 about Garrety.
Sam wrote of the nurses and Livy’s condition to James R. Clemens in St. Louis.
Damn those creatures, they don’t seem to have any sense. No. 2 objected to receiving the doctor’s orders at second hand from Clara, & when I said she must, she went to the doctor & asked him to annul my requirement. It did not seem to occur to her that after she should get supreme authority safely lodged in the doctor there would still be a weak spot, because I could discharge the doctor.
Mrs. Clemens is getting along pretty well & is very cheerful. She does not know that she is not expected to be up & around for months. But she probably privately suspects it, for Clara says she is intolerably bright & smart, & divines most things that are going on [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Chauncey M. Depew.
The American historian of Joan of Arc makes his best compliments to you, sir, & thanks you for the opportunity you offer him of meeting the Ambassador of the great country whose redemption she achieved by her genius & consecrated with her life. That is enough of third person & formality. I dearly wish I could be there, but as I cannot, I will trust you to make the occasion all it ought to be…knowing your all-comprehensive competency these many many pleasant years. [MTP: David J. Holmes Autographs catalog, No. 36, Item 34].
Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore.
What I want is “A Visit to Heaven.” You sent me quite another matter. It is certainly in the safe or in the pigeon-holes & is worth as much as the house.
No, I wouldn’t resume with the western man; it doesn’t look worth while [MTP]. Note: Sam was still looking for his MS “Captain Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven”; the “western man” was potential buyer for the Hartford house, Sidney A. Witherbee of Chicago.
Jean Clemens wrote to Grace Sewell, neighbor friend in York Harbor, Maine; Sam added a bit to the foot of the last page. Jean’s:
… As to our Sewalls’ account, we were glad to get it even though it proved rather unsatisfactory. We had two and even three rooms at your home for some time, besides the myriad of things your father did and made for us… Our complaint is that his kindness and generosity are much too large, even though he refuses to write to anyone save his life…
[Sam added:]
“Miss Sewall, you are not bringing your father up properly. He will go on robbing himself until he will become an abandoned & incurable criminal. Let him beware! SLC” [Heritage Auction Archives Oct. 15, 2009, Lot 35132; “Be Sure and Save the Gentians,” by Peter Salwen, 2005]. Note: the Sewalls charged far less than Sam thought appropriate for the use of their rooms.