October 11 Thursday – At the Hotel d’Angleterre in Rouen, France, Sam wrote to Morse, the US Consul-General:

I thank you very much indeed for the papers, until I can pay you the principal.

Sam reported that Susy’s fever was gone and her congested lung healing; that they should be able to travel in a few days to Paris [MTP].

Sam also wrote to H.H. Rogers, about the balance of a $500 legal fee paid to Bainbridge Colby for drawing up a contract with Frank Bliss for publication of PW. Sam was upset because he did not hear for over a month that the contract had been signed on Aug. 24. Sam also told of Livy’s exhaustion at nursing Susy, and confessed the doctor ordered them to stay in Rouen two or even three more weeks. He gave news of his recent literary efforts:

I wrote 3 malicious chapters about M. Paul Bourget and his idiotic “Outre Mer” which satisfied Mrs. Clemens but they did not quite suit me; so I have begun over again and started on a new basis — and a better one, I think. I expect to work portions of the rejected MS in, but if I don’t succeed I shan’t burn it; I’ll send it to you, for there are things in it that you will enjoy — that I can swear to. Yrs sincerely [MTHHR 84-5].

Franklin G. Whitmore wrote to Sam, one page swearing to Olivia Clemens as her agent, that all property and furniture belonged to her. Sam did “not own a dollar taxable property in Hartford” [MTP].