December 20 Sunday – In Redding, Conn. Sam began a letter to Margaret Blackmer that he finished on Dec. 21. The Dec. 20 segment:
You dear Margaret I clear forgot to show you the enclosed letter from a most charming human being, chaplain of a battleship whereon Miss Lyon & I spent a jovial day in Bermudan waters. I was going to ask you to let me send your love along with mine to his “dear girl friends” in England; & so I ask you now—but only as a formality, because I have already done it.
He wrote Miss Lyon too, still she wants this letter also, & I am glad, because in returning it you will have to send me a line & tell me what your idea is of what you owe me. I think it’s 14.
An hour after we got back to the house Mr. Starr telephoned to say all his photographs (the colored ones) had come to nothing in the developing except one, & he was wildly delighted over that one, because it was letter-perfect. It was the one with you beside me. That makes me very well satisfied indeed.
It was lovely of your mother to come to us when she had so little time, & we thank her for it ever so much. Tell her that both you & she will need a whole week here to brace up in after tropical Bermuda, & I hope she will cut a week out of the month’s vacation & give it to us.
I think it’s 14. I am not perfectly sure; it may be 15.
Remember me with warm regards to your mother—& tell her what I’ve been saying.
We have had cards & billiards, & now I’ve gone to bed. I miss you, dear; I wish you were back. I send you my love. / SLC / P.S. No, I remember now. It’s 16 [MTP]. Note: William Ireland Starr, photographer, had visited Sam and taken several color pictures using the new Autochrome method. No color print of the one good picture has been found [Bancroftania, No. 120, Spring 2002 online]. The following day another photographer would arrive and take more colored photographs. See entry.
Lucia Gale Barber wrote from Boston to ask Sam to take the time to answer the enclosed Syllabus, a printed handbill with 14 questions about dancing. Clark University [MTP]. Note: “Ans Dec 24 MLH”
Grace Stuart Orcutt wrote from Woodsville, N.H. to appreciate his works and holiday wishes [MTP].
December 20-24 Thursday – During this period Sam wrote a postcard, bearing on one side a picture of himself with Isabel Lyon and Ralph Ashcroft, to Margery H. Clinton: “Affectionate Xmas greetings to the Official Plumber! / SLC / 1908.” [MTP].
Probably during this same period Sam sent the same postcard to Laura H. Frazer and Clara Frazer. He wrote: “Showing off. / The cup is beautiful, Laura, and I thank you for it. Happy new year to you and Miss Clara.” [MTP: Hannibal Mo. Evening Courier-Post, Mar. 6, 1935, p.3c]. Note: Clara Frazer was Laura’s granddaughter.
Sam also sent the same postcard to Dorothy Quick, writing “Merry Xmas to Dorothy!” [MTP].