May 27 Friday – At the Villa Paulhof in Kaltenleutgeben, Austria, Sam wrote to Dr. Thomas S. Kirkbride, who had mentioned a maid in his service at this boarding house (pension). The Clemenses needed a  cook and would “pay her expenses going & coming” from Vienna [MTP]. See also Livy to Kirkbride, May 26. On May 31 Sam reported to Rogers that they had a cook, so it may be this feeler was productive.

Sam’s notebook:

We have some insane customs, of course. All countries have insane customs. The stranger notices that they are insane, the native doesn’t; he is used to them, hardened to them, they are matters of course to him. In V[ienna] when you take a flat you pay the rent twice a year in advance; in the country when you take a villa you pay the whole year in advance. It may burn down the first night, what then? you say. The proprietor answers, “I have other houses—you can have one of those.” “It would not suit; we examined every house in the place—there is not another that would begin to suit.” “I should do the best I could for you.” “The best you could do would be a long way from satisfactory.” “One can but do one’s best.” “You don’t suggest refunding the money.” “It is not the custom.” “When a man comes to the cure, he knows its term is 6 weeks

that he must be under the doctor’s advice all that time. Does the doctor collect the whole fee in advance?” “Oh, no.” “Why not?” “The man m—” “Go on. You were going to say the man might die the first day.” “Yes.” “Just as the house might burn down.”

You advertise for a servant. Man comes with a bundle of fine characters. You are delighted with your luck. He has changed places very often—that is suspicious. You conclude to go to his referees. The first one says, “I found he was incompetent.” No 2 found he drank. No. 3 found he was a thief. “But you wrote he was competent; you, that he had no bad habits; you, that he was honest. A visitor tips you a private sign. Stop— “Wait” Later, explains: “the law requires you to give your dismissed servant a character [reference] if he requires it, & it forbids you to give him any but a good character [NB 40 TS 20-1].