June 1 Sunday – From Sam’s notebook:

Still this vindictive winter continues. Had a raw, cold rain to-day; to-night we sit around a rousing wood fire [MTNJ 2: 312].

Drove to Nanterre (about an hour from Paris) & saw the Rosiere crowned. The last year’s Rosiere led the procession (the sweetest face in France,) the new Rosiere, (with a pretty maid of honor in blue sash) followed—then came a double file of wee girls, then bigger ones, all in white & blue—future Rosieres? The band banged, the trumpets blared, the strong choir sang, the packed church watched the crowing & enthroning of the Rosiere—then the ex-Rosiere took of her crown & wore it on her arm the rest of the time. The new R is an orphan & supports 3 brothers taking in washing. She gets 300 fr now—& 200 by & by, or if she marries, gets wedding apparel in place of it. It once prevailed all around France; but one marked effect of the leveling work of a republic is to destroy aristocratic exclusiveness by making everybody aristocrats [MTNJ 2: 313].

Sam wrote to Ph. Zimmerman requesting shipment of the table he’d had made. His letter not extant but referred to in Zimmerman’s June 9 reply.