May 26 Sunday – Sam wrote from the Schloss Hotel in Heidelberg to Howells. He loved the setting, the view of the Neckar River, the old castle and the Rhine Valley. He also enjoyed the glass-enclosed porches, which extended from the bedrooms, where he could read, rest and smoke. He sent compliments on Charley Warner’s latest Atlantic article. Sam had been resting and waiting for “the call” to write, which came a week before.

…my note-book comes out more & more frequently every day…3 days ago I concluded to move my manuscripts over to my den. Now the call is loud & decided, at last. So, tomorrow I shall begin regular, steady work, & stick to it till middle of July or 1st August, when I look for Twichell; we will then walk about Germany 2 or 3 weeks & then I’ll go to work again—(perhaps in Munich) [MTLE 3: 54-5].

Bought 2 cigars & 4 boxes fancy matches—gave 48 cent piece and got 42 ½ cents change. Shant import any more cheap cigars into Germany for economy’s sake [MTNJ 2: 89].

Prof. Ihne, Mrs. Ihne & daughter called—a very pleasant call, indeed [89].

From Livy’s pen:

Clara [Spaulding] sits by me writing her Mother and Mr. Clemens sits the other side of the table reading Mr. Warner’s Adirondack Sketch, he is perfectly convulsed with laughter—This evening Clara and I will read it—Tomorrow Mr. Clemens goes to work he has been making notes ever since we left home, so he has a good deal of material to work from….I have secured a young lady to be with them, the children—three hours a day. She begins tomorrow morning—She has taught in an English School….I liked her appearance very much indeed [Salsbury 78].