May 28 Tuesday – Sam described another “curious sunset” in his notebook, and the Lohengrin opera program at Mannheim. “Opera is not a fashion, but a passion & it isn’t dependent upon the swells, but upon every body.” Sam remarked on getting the Frankfort daily the day it was printed, but the Heidelberg paper the day after [MTNJ 2: 91].

Bought a couple of gorgeously dressed ancient horrors in Castle museum, to start a portrait gallery of my ancestors with. Paid a dollar & a quarter for the male portrait & $2.50 for the lady. The gentleman a most self-satisfied smirk—but if he had known he would be sold to a base untitled republican 100 yrs later for a dollar & a half, would it have taken some of the tuck out of that smirk [MTNJ 2: 92].