May 21 Saturday – Sam’s notebook in Venice, dated May 22:

Tried to make the Johnsons, Browns, Sarah Orne Jewett, Mrs. James T. Fields, Mr. Washington understand (with Clara’s help) the old puzzle of Whitmore taking me around the loop in his buggy. Of course they all laughed at my stupidity at first, but this is just a “$100-bill & pair of boots” puzzle before they get done with it.

I am the cross. I insisted that in order that I might arrive back on the side of the buggy next to the house, we must drive to the left around the circle; W. said that to drive around either side would have that result. He was right.

This brought up the boy & boat at Geneva where Jean pulled a pair of oars & Mrs. C. said it eased the boy of half his work; whereas if the boy had to work his hardest, a hundred Jeans could not diminish his expense of strength; it would help him if speed were the object, but in this case he was working by the hour & speed was not an object.

We drank a red cherry syrup & water in big glasses & told dreams & ghost stories till midnight — then by vote adjourned to to-night [May 22].

Then visited the 2 lamps which have burned for ages on the end of the Church to commemorate the wrongful execution of the baker’s apprentice [NB 31 TS 47-8].