September 12 Monday – The Clemens family was in Frankfurt, Germany. Several doctors attended to Livy. Sam’s Sept. 18 to Crane related doctor visits:

The first doctor (recommended by [Dr] Bode), said it was nothing but a cold & would pass away soon. He had to go a journey & recommended another doctor, & sent him to us, but I had heard of a better one, so I sent a note desiring him to stay at home. Our new doctor said there was nothing serious — just a cold — traveling would do no harm [MTP, Sept. 18 to Crane].

On Sept. 25 in Florence, Susy wrote Louise Brownell about the family’s forced stay in Frankfurt:

We were delayed on our way here some time in Frankfurt by a strange and sudden illness of Mamma’s. While there Mr. Phelps came on for a day or two with his daughter. We had one most delightful little dinner with him and Captain [Frank] Mason — the American Consul General who is a lovely, lovely man. Mr. Phelps was entirely irresistible and moderately merciful and he made a little speech which was the very perfection of wit and grace and charm. I liked Miss Phelps immensely. She seems strong and fine and sincere and has such honest gray eyes. They left for Berlin the day before we started for Florence [Cotton 101164-5].

Note: The Clemenses left Frankfurt on Sept. 15; the Phelpses would then have left on Sept. 14; this leaves Sept. 11 or 12 for the dinner Susy wrote of.

Henry Stivers for Iowa Columbian Commission wrote to Sam asking if RI wasn’t in fact begun in Iowa, and wishing to claim Sam as an Iowan author for the exhibition at the Chicago World’s Fair [MTP].