February 22 Friday – At 169 rue de l’Université in Paris, Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, heading the letter, “Birthington’s Washday/95”. Sam supposed that John and Alice Day had taken the Clemens house in Hartford for rent because Sam had received no cable otherwise from Day.

In three hours I leave for Havre & New York.

I am mighty sorry the bicycle business has struck hard luck. What is going to become of things, anyway. / With love to you all [MTP]. Note: Whitmore may have been involved in the bicycle business.

Sam traveled to Havre where he either stayed in a hotel or spent the night aboard the SS New York, preparing to sail the next morning.