March 21 Thursday – In Hartford at Joe Twichell’s, Sam finished his Mar. 20 to Livy:

March 21. (Uncle Joe’s.)

I was to dine there at 6.30, — & did. It was their first day, & their first meal. I was there first, & received them. Then John sent in the roses & your card, which touched Mrs. Alice [Day] to the depths. Good-bye dear sweetheart, good-bye. / Saml [LLMT 312].

P.S. Hartford is resounding with a thundering roar of welcome for you & the children — for I have spread it around that you are coming to America in May. Words cannot describe how worshipfully & enthusiastically you are loved in this town; & the wash of the wave reaches even to me, because I belong to you; it would wash to your dog, if you had a dog.

Sam described avoiding people, but running into Samuel Dunham, who offered a “touching & flooding outpouring of welcome & delight.”

I have made up my mind to one thing: if we go around the world we will move into our house when we get back; & if we don’t go around the world we will move in when the Days’ time is up.

Sam saw France as “poor & empty & offensive” compared to America. He related that the Day’s and the Twichell’s wanted visits, but that he insisted Livy would stay in New York “till that doctor leaves in July. He has got to cure you.”

Good-bye my darling, I shall leave for New York now. This is nearly the last letter I’ll write you — possibly the last — don’t know.

After his signature Sam wrote that Katy Leary was “the same old Katy” — she wouldn’t stay with the Day’s because it would make her homesick for the family [LLMT 313]. Note: Katy had returned to Elmira after being laid off by the family; she may have been in Hartford to provide services at the house.