November 6 Tuesday – From the Brighton Hotel in Paris, Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers about their rental house at 169 Rue de l’Unversité:

It isn’t a flat, but a whole house. We get it, furnished, for $250 a month. It belongs to a friend [“the artist Pomroy” – MTB 989] who has to go south for 6 months. He pays $300. It has 4 bedrooms. When you come we’ll sleep two of the girls together, and that will vacate a room for you. Take a vacation and come; it will rest you up, and you will be glad you took a holiday. We are growing old, and must not put off the holidays.

Note: Frederick William Pomroy (1856-1924) was a British sculptor of architectural and monumental creations. He was one of the so-called “New Sculptors” listed by Edmund Gosse in 1894, artists whose style turned toward naturalism. His work won him a traveling scholarship to Paris and Italy. Pomroy no doubt sublet the house to the Clemens family.

Sam added they were still at the Hotel Brighton but would move into the house in a week (Nov 13- see note), and that Livy was busy “digging for servants now.” Daughter Jean would have to travel five miles to school and change horsecars twice, and Susy was “just about well again.” Sam expected they’d save $200 a month living there over hotels, and was impatient to get to work again. After his signature he added he was glad that Mrs. Rice (probably Dr. Rice’s wife) was coming for a visit [MTHHR 91]. Note: A case of gout forced a delay leaving the hotel for the rental house until Nov. 16.

Sam also wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, advising that since they’d only received half of the magazines subscribed for, it would be cheaper to pick them up in Paris individually, and not to renew subscriptions. He added a newsworthy note:

Dr. Enders & his wife are in the hotel Brighton. They are charming people. We are still in the hotel, but we move to the above address for the winter a week hence. Mrs. Clemens is sampling servants & getting ready [MTP].