February 9 Friday – In New York at the Players Club, Sam wrote to Livy (this letter may have been written on Feb. 8, but since his stated aim was to write Livy twice a week, this is placed here, as LLMT also assumes.)
Sam explained some misinformation had caused him to miss the French liner to send his letter. He was trying to write less frequently but longer letters, writing twice a week instead of his usual near-daily.
He related a conversation he’d had with John Brisben Walker of Cosmopolitan: he explained to Walker he’d been unable to come to his office one day because he’d been writing Livy. When he told Walker the size of his letters, Walker responded, “My! This is the last possibility of unwisdom! … stop it & send them to me — I’ll give you fifteen hundred dollars for them!”
Ben & Susy must read “A Study of Indian Music” in the Feb. Century. I think it will interest them….
Oh my darling, I do so long to see you! What an exile it is! I love you dearly, & I kiss you, / Saml.[LLMT 293-6]. Note: the article was written by John Comfort Fillmore [294n17].
Sam told about his activities of the previous day (Feb. 8).
In his Feb. 11 to 13 letter to Livy Sam told about a not-so-enjoyable evening for this day:
But last night — ugh! As I put my hand on the door-bell, I said to myself, “What a fool I was to make this engagement; & what a thundering sight bigger fool I am to keep it!” For I have dined there before. All the men & women had brains & were persons of distinction; but I knew they would talk in couples, & they did. Oh, the buzz of it was maddening. I was so tired when we got through! Gilder was there — the only man in this world who can say more silly & witless & childish things on such an occasion than Charley Warner. But Charley Warner compensates by saying bright & happy things all around amongst his idiotisms, & by rising to dignity & solidity sooner or later & talking upon high planes & capably. There is no compensation for Gilder. God made him for fun. He has brains, you know, (Gilder, I mean,) & can talk, & talk well; but for some reason or other he generally won’t.
When we were grouped face to face in the drawing-room after dinner, it was worse than ever. The only thing the lady who sat by me on the sofa & I could find to talk about was wet-nurses. We clung to that subject with all our anxious souls; knowing well that when it failed us our last hope was gone & we should fall dumb. Well, we talked the wet-nurses plumb dry. Then we sat still, & felt dreary, oh, so dreary & so weary & so desolate. You would be astounded if I should tell you who those people were. I‘d have given my shirt to have Aldrich & Mrs. Millet there. Mrs. M. would have scored one more instance against him [MTP].
Note: Sam’s opinion of Richard Watson Gilder would improve as they became close friends. Sam’s reference to Elizabeth Merrill Millet stems from the evening of Feb. 8; see entry.
† Dated only “Friday” but judged to be this day Sam also wrote to Bram Stoker, who had shown interest in buying stock in the new Paige Compositor Co. at 50 cents per share.
…must go par in six months in my opinion, [so] speak up & tell me how much you want. I judge that this stock will bring fabulous prices.
Sam disclosed that work had resumed on manufacturing the first ten machines last Monday, or Feb. 5 (estimated). Labeled as “before Feb. 13” by MTP; see also Feb. 13 to Stoker.
Philip Schuyler wrote as chairman of the St. Nicholas Society inviting Sam to the old Dutch festival of “Paas” on Monday, Mar. 26. He mentioned that Mr. Depew was president of the group. Also, that he would welcome “the opportunity of renewing my acquaintance [with Sam] which began some time ago one evening at the Century Club.” Sam wrote at the top of the letter, “Very nice letter from the representative of the oldest & loftiest of the old Dutch families” [MTP].