November 16 Wednesday – In Florence Sam wrote to daughter Clara at Mrs. Mary B. Willard’s school in Berlin. In the top margin he wrote that Ned Bunce wanted her address. After expressing concern for Clara reporting she’d had a case of the “grippe” (flu; influenza) he wrote he was relieved she was better. Livy was not; she was “very weak & all wasted away.”

The Willards have been very lovely to you, & we are thankful to them. And it was nice of Miss Phelps to remember you. She is a lovely girl & I think ever so much of her. Do give my warm regards to her & my warm love to her father when you see them.

I’m at work on the Twins again. It is half the size of the Prince & Pauper, now, & going right along.

We all send slathers of love to you, Ben dear. / Papa [LLMT 261-2]. Note: Ned Bunce, an old Hartford friend, was traveling in Italy with the Laurence Huttons.

Sam’s notebook in Florence:

They are the most superlative magnificent sunsets ever dreamed of. I don’t believe they have finer ones in hell. Nov. 16/92 / Bill Nye says: “Have a good time while you live, for you will be dead a long while” [NB 32 TS 35].