December – Sam’s story, “A Dog’s Tale” first ran in Harper’s Monthly this issue. Budd: “Shortly afterward it was published as a pamphlet…by the National Anti-Vivisection Society in London, dated 1903, although it was apparently not distributed until 1904. The story was published in a separate edition in September 1904 as A Dog’s Tale…and was included in the collection The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories (1906)”  [Collected 2: 1008].

Sir Thomas Wardle and Miss Wardle sent Sam a Christmas and New Year’s card; no note [MTP].

C.E. Guthrie Wright sent a 3×3 ½ inch Christmas and New Year’s card, folded with ribbon [MTP].

December, ca. – At the Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence Sam wrote two notes to Walpurga Ehrengarde Helena von Hohenthal Paget (Lady Paget hereafter), one on a Tuesday and one on a Sunday.

Dear Lady Paget: / I had a day off, yesterday, & should have gone to call upon you, but was interrupted. I will soon try again. Mrs. Clemens thanks you, & would be glad to accompany me, but she is an invalid & debarred.

Dear Lady Paget— / We are having very good luck with the gas now. Apparently the trouble was with the burners; I have substituted another kind.

I am very glad to have Mr. Cobb’s address. I had tried to keep it in my head, but it escaped [MTP]. Note: this may be Arthur M. Cobb; see index.