March 16 Thursday – In Florence Sam wrote to Laurence Hutton, who was to arrive in the city shortly after Sam left for New York. Hutton had been in Egypt.

I hope you are having a good time & that it is not exasperated by correspondence with the business-department of the Players, the rudest-mannered gang that ever got translated out of the sty they were probably born & reared in [Note: Whitmore had failed to pay Sam’s Players Club dues, and evidently San had received a nasty reminder, or, at least one he thought nasty].

William Mackay Laffan and wife had arrived in town:

Laffan & his wife arrived at the New York [Hotel] a day or two ago, but William was called back to London last night. Mrs. Laffan will wait in Florence for him. She is coming out to see us this afternoon. I wish you two were here as well — we’d go Old Mastering tomorrow. I am very very sorry I shan’t be here when you come. I sail from Genoa next Tuesday for a brief business-trip home [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore about his Players Club dues. “It was the only club,” he wrote, “I took any interest in or cared to belong to.” Sam asked that fifty blank machine-royalties be sent by registered mail to Webster & Co. to be kept until he got there [MTP].

Sam’s notebook in Florence.

Thursday. … / Prof. Fiske called — went to his villa with him. Excellency Wm Walter Phelps will arrive Saturday night [Mar. 18] & dine with us Sunday & Monday [Mar. 19-20]. / La Contessina Riccardi. / Countess — Fiske gave me the name, it is gone again — he must go there with me / Calls to make: Friday. Macaulay &c / Saturday — Riccardi / Sunday. — The Colonel. / Wyndham. / Count Riccardi (leave note) …/ Mr. Loring. /(Explain why did not come Wednesday [NB 33 TS 3]. Note: Lined out items reflect completed tasks.