December 22 Tuesday – In London Sam wrote to Laurence and Eleanor V. Hutton.

I am powerful glad you have spared that poor girl [Helen Keller] over the shoal place. I had every confidence that Mr. & Mrs. Rogers would be found ready for business when the watch was called. 

Sam also expressed surrender about the piece, “The Californian’s Tale”:

I can’t ever touch it again. It has left a bad taste in my mouth. The article is my property, to do as I please with, whenever I get ready. But I shall never do anything in the matter. Earlier I would have enjoyed this opportunity to try conclusions with those people [Authors’ Club; Stedman, et al]; but my fighting days are over, now. Squabbling over trifles has lost its charms [MTP].

 Sam also wrote to Emilie Rogers (Mrs. H.H. Rogers):

It is superb! And I am beyond measure grateful to you both. I knew you would be interested in that wonderful girl [Helen Keller], and that Mr. Rogers was already interested in her and touched by her; and I was sure that if nobody else helped her you two would; but you have gone far and away beyond the sum I expected — may your lines fall in pleasant places here and Hereafter for it.

      The Huttons are as glad and grateful as they can be, and I am glad for their sakes as well as for Helen’s.

Sam also thanked Rogers for his work on the Bliss-Harper contract, and that they would sign at his signal [MTHHR 255-6]. Note: Helen Keller was supported in her work at Radcliffe.

Sam’s notebook for this day:

It took piles of blankets to keep us warm last night. It was as cold as it would be at home at 30° – yet it was really only 52°. I brought the thermom from the dressing-room, where there was a fire; it was marking 59 [NB 39].