Sam’s notebook: “Began with Dittura [Agostino]  Oct 8 by the day at 5 f a day & 50 pour-boir—we have to have  him day & evening both” [MTNJ 2: 205] Agostino was the second  gondolier employed by the Clemens family [205n89].

George Burk wrote from Venice, Italy asking for  additional severance pay of 175 francs and sending his address [MTP;  MTNJ 2: 208].
 

Sam’s notebook:
Great Council Chamber,  Ducal Palace. Immediately at right of the door as you enter, in the big picture  over the book shelves, is a fisherman in the foreground in a green dress  holding one basket of fish against his body & resting another basket of  fish on a woman’s head. This Fisherman has but one leg—but that is not the  singularity, but the fact that it is the port leg, attached to the starboard  side of his body [MTNJ 2:  199- 200]. Note: Sam evaluated several  other paintings in like manner.
 

In his letter of Nov. 20 to Twichell,  Sam wrote that he had “discharged George [Burk]  at Venice—the worthless idiot—& have developed into a pretty fair sort of  courier myself since then” [MTLE 3:  101]. Sam fired Burk on Oct. 1 [MTNJ 2: 197] Note: George Burk had been the portier at the Schloss Hotel in Heidelberg   when Sam hired him. Sam gave Burk 100 franks extra and let him go.

October – A  notation in Sam’s notebook listed The Bible for Young People, translated by Wicksteed  in six volumes [MTNJ  2: 209]. Evidently  this was a reminder to send these books to Orion upon returning home, as Orion was writing a  biblical refutation. Orion had recently been excommunicated from the First Westminster Presbyterian Church of Keokuk [209n95].

Sam read William Wetmore Story’s  (1819-1895) 2  volume Roba di Roma (1863) and entered in his notebook:

William Gedney Bunce (1840-1916) visited again. From Livy’s   pen:  “…calls  again last night [Monday] until nearly eleven” [Salsbury 85].

Livy wrote from Venice to her mother about the city:

“It is so fascinating,  so thoroughly charming—I sit now before a window that opens on to a little  piazza; where I can look right on to the Grand Canal…We have the morning sun in  our rooms and the weather for three days has been perfect” [MTNJ 2:  157].

Sam wrote from Venice,  Italy to William Dean Howells.  Since his tirade letter about Bret Harte, Sam had not heard from  Howells, who had recommended to President Hayes that Harte be given a chance. Wisely, Howells  had not told Sam of his recommendation or answered Sam’s venom, and Sam had  noticed.

Sam’s notebook this day in Venice.

These Italian thieves  have charged me $8 duty on $4 worth (100) of cigars & $1 worth of tobacco–

I must stop smoking,  for no right Christian can smoke an Italian cigar. Only the wrappers are  grown—the insides are of stubs collected on the pavements by the younger sons  of the nobility—stubs from Switzerland —bad enough.

The charming singing of  the men at night in Venice.

The Clemens party left Bellagio at 10 AM. They met G.K. Mayer and wife [MTNJ 2:  159n6] who helped them take the lake boat down to Lecco, Italy, where they boarded the  train.  They suffered another ten-hour trip and arrived at Venice at 7:30  PM. [Rodney 112; MTNJ 2: 194]. The family had looked  forward to Venice as a “relaxing interlude in their long  journey.” Livy’s itinerary called for a  three-week stay [Rodney  112].

The Clemens party left Milan and traveled north to Bellagio on Lake Como [MTNJ 2: 156]. They  stayed at the Grand Bretagne Hotel. Sam’s notebook:

“Rainy, sour, cold,  dreary. Removed a screen in our room & discovered a regular fire-place—for  wood.  Right away we had the first wood fire we had seen since we left our own  house. This made the day cheery” [2: 193].

Also noted was praise for Karl  Baedeker’s (1801-1859) Italy,  Handbook for Travellers: “curious & useful details” about Lake Como [2: 193]