March 29 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook on board the Kaiser Wilhelm II:

Wednes. 29. Nice ball on deck, with colored electric lights. I opened it with Capt. Störmer — waltz, with overcoat. Danced the Virginia reel, with Longfellow for a partner [NB 33 TS 5].

Note: Sam was referring to a nephew of Longfellow, name not given, but likely William Pitt Preble Longfellow. He’d mentioned the man in his Mar. 24 to Susy (not shown in excerpt chosen): “On the hurricane deck a minute ago, Longfellow (nephew of the poet), said…” [MTP]. See also MFMT 98 for a recollection of Clara’s about this night.

Livy, Susy and Jean left for a two-week stay in Venice. On Mar. 24 Sam wrote them at the Hotel Royal Danieli, Venice. Susy wrote to Louise Brownell on the day they left:

We are getting ready to start for Venice at two o’clock. It is the most perfect Italian day….I cannot like travel for novelty and change. I have to learn to care for each place….We shall arrive in Venice tonight and our pet gondolier Antonio is to meet us a the station [Cotton 101218-9]. Note: this date is calculated from Susy’s next letter to Brownell, postmarked Apr. 6: “…just as we were leaving Florence on Wednesday last” [101221].

In a letter postmarked Apr. 6 and written sometime between Mar. 30 and Apr. 5, Susy described their arrival on this evening:

Venice doesn’t seem as melancholy as it did. We arrived by moonlight and Antonio brought us up the Grand Canal through what seemed to be a dream. The old palaces looked more strange and ethereal and unearthly than ever. The city seemed dead and the silence was wonderful; no one stirring and few lights, only an occasionally passing gondola.

This first impression of Venice is so unlike anything else in the world! The next morning one is a little disappointed [Cotton 101222-3].

The N.Y. Times, p.8, “Telegraph Operators’ Entertainment”:

The New-York Telegraph Operators’ Dramatic and Literary Association, which was organized recently, will give its initial entertainment and reception at the New Central Opera House, East Sixty-seventh Street, Friday evening, April 14. The comedy-drama, “Tom Sawyer,” as adapted from Mark Twain’s book of that name by Martin J. Dixon, will be presented with extra specialties by Tom Ballantyne, Master Dunn, musical wonder: Kitty Stephenson, songs; George O’Brien, Irish eccentricities.

The hall will be elaborately decorated and a special souvenir will be presented to the ladies. Prof. Bayne’s Sixty-ninth Regiment Band will furnish the music. Tickets are on sale at all the telegraph offices. [Note: This appears to be an unauthorized adaptation of Sam’s work.]