June 16 Saturday – In Paris, Sam responded to H.H. Rogers letter, writing about the Clemens family’s changed plans.

The dismal work of trunk-packing has begun; we leave here next Friday, 21st for La Bourboule, down in the center of France, 12 hours from Paris. This is ordered on Susy’s account, & cuts Mrs. Clemens out from going to Aix-les-Bains. The family will go from Bourboule to Etretat on the coast near Havre the first week in August & stay until early in October, living in a cottage a little back from the seashore. I sail in the [steamer] New York June 30 & shall expect to arrive at the Players at noon July 6th. If Harry [Rogers’ 14 year-old son] has any billiard-opportunities open in those days, he will find his uncle Sammy mighty glad to take a chance & mighty glad, too, to have him umpire the game, if he won’t go further & set up the balls.

Sam also wrote he would give May Rogers’ brooch to James G. Macgowan, who had her address. He wrote of a mix-up in a dinner engagement with the Bodleys “some days ago,”;he’d missed it entirely, though he did get to a breakfast invite with them. He told of all the red tape over the past two days to buy a family ticket to La Bourboule and return. Lastly he reacted to the news Rogers must have sent that Paige had finally signed the contract:

I am glad Paige has signed. I wish it was his death-warrant. Well, maybe it is. His European patents ought to furnish him money enough to spree himself into Perdition on, if he makes a trade [MTHHR 65-6].

Sam also wrote to William A. Wilson, declining an invitation due to “preparation to break up & leave.” Sam had to do “many of the errands & all of the cursing for this tribe.”

But we want to see you & Mrs. Wilson; we must have a glimpse of you, sure. Won’t you come & drink a cup of tea Monday afternoon toward 5? Do [MTP]

Note: Wilson is identified in Sam’s letter (Oct. 4-18, 1896 from London to his English publishers, Chatto & Windus), as “an old Scotch friend & present neighbor of mine.”