November 25 Friday – In Vienna, Austria, Sam wrote right after this day, reporting on the festivities at the US Consul Charlemagne Tower’s home to Bettina Wirth.

November 25th was the American Thanksgiving Day. It was celebrated here at the House of the American Minister, Mr. Tower, by an assemblage of two hundred Americans & a sprinkling of their Austrian friends. The reception began at three in the afternoon, & the devotions were conducted in a proper thanksgiving spirit thence to the end of the day. According to custom, these devotions took the form of joyous and lively conversation, interspersed with piano & vocal music volunteered by guests. There was no speech-making, & none was needed, to make the occasion an enthusiastic tribute of homage & affection to the Republic & its flag. The reception was a surprise in one way, since it revealed the fact that there are more than double as many Americans in Vienna as had been supposed

Dear Mrs. Wirth:

I have cramped in all the facts but two: all the men were from the medical schools, all the

women were pupils of Letschititschky. (I don’t know how to spell it.) We had an immense time there & very jolly [MTP].