March 26 Monday – At the Hotel Brighton in Paris Sam wrote to Mary Hallock Foote, giving her an unqualified recommendation as a drawing teacher, even though he could not testify to her ability in that matter, he could testify that she “speak the truth, every time,” so that, “whatever you SAY you are competent to do,” he was sure she could do [MTP: Hartford Courant Aug. 14, 1968].

Sam also wrote to H.H. Rogers:

In answer to yours of March 13. Yes, 4% of Pool #1 — or even 3% — will answer for [Charles] Davis I should think.

Evidently the work on the machine is booming along. That and Mr. Broughton’s enlarged confidence makes me feel pretty comfortable. I am impatient to get over there and stir Shoemaker up. It was time he was booming, too. [Shoemaker was evidently unsuccessful in selling Sam’s stock.]

Sam had received the document from Bainbridge Colby with the law firm of Stern & Rushmore on Saturday, too late to get it signed and notarized at the consulate. He’d returned this morning but “the whole town is shut up, on account of Easter Monday.

— we are right in the centre of a bunch of holy holidays, when everything is sinful except going to the horse-races. Heaven is going to be full of Frenchmen, I reckon — so I shall try to fetch up at the other place.

In a PS, he mentioned plans to “try England” for selling his Paige stock, should J.M. Shoemaker fail to “get there.” He had written Henry M. Stanley and Sir Francis de Winton, Governor of the Duke of York’s household, and planned to dine with them on the night before he sailed, Apr. 6, putting out “some feelers, in a general way,” so me might later follow up [MTHHR 49-50].