May 10 Wednesday – At the Hotel Krantz in Vienna, Austria, Sam wrote to Percy Spalding.
The telegram came last evening & was very welcome. It decided us at once. We shall reach London May 31, by way of Bremen & the steamer “Lahn” to Southampton.
The reason we do not wish it to be known that we are going in order to put a daughter with Madame Marchesi, is because the former doesn’t wish her present teacher to find it out till the tragedy is accomplished. Therefore we are diligently explaining to all friends that it is my business that hurries us to England—the idea being that when it gets into the papers it shall get it right (meaning, with the music-lessons UNMENTIONED.)
Sam thought they might live at Morley’s Hotel for a week or so while looking for more modest lodgings, and gave Spalding their requirements. If Spalding knew of a quiet hotel preferable to Morley’s Sam would trust his good judgment [MTP].
Sam also wrote to H.H. Rogers. Plans to spend June in the mountains at Reichenau, 50 miles from Vienna had been scrapped in favor of going directly to London in two weeks. It took two weeks for them to pack up, though he observed he didn’t do the packing himself, only superintended. He noted the “good news” Katharine Harrison had informed: he had about $ 52,000 in cash and $5,000 invested. He observed that the palmist Cheiro “can work his prophecy-mill very well when you stand behind him and turn the crank.” He had been reading in the newspapers about Rogers’ role of in the new Amalgamated Copper Co., which had been organized in N.J. with a capital of $75,000,000.
I feel perfectly sure that you are arranging to put that $52,000 under that hen as soon as the allotment of stock begins, & I am very glad of that, for you know how to make a copper hen lay a golden egg. …
It is a pity we can’t go home now. We are all pretty home-sick. But we should have to go to some summer resort, & it would be crowded & uncomfortable & I couldn’t work; and besides, if it were a satisfactory place it would be too costly for us. Why, even here I can’t afford Scotch whisky enough to keep my morals from stinking, for these highwaymen charge a dollar & ten cents a bottle for it; & as for cigars, they are 3½ cents a piece, & there is no way for a really conscientious economist to do but steal them. It shames me to do this, & it makes a good deal of talk; but I feel as Rice [Dr. Clarence C. Rice] does about such matters: that it is better to be economical than honest, as a general thing. I have learned many useful things from Rice [MTHHR 395-6].
Sam also aphorism-inscribed a copy of TA to an unidentified person: “We should not tell the truth / too much, it makes us / conspicuous. / Truly Yours / Mark Twain / May 10, 1899” [MTP].
Sam’s notebook:
“May 10. Letter from Goerz. He has invested for me in 200 Geduld Proprietary shares at £3.3/4. I sent him £ 200 on May 5. (£ 3 3/4.)” [NB 40 TS 55]. Note: Geduld Proprietary Gold Mines, East Rand, S. Africa. Ad. Goerz & Co. stock brokers. Sam identified Adolf Goerz as “a good friend, S. African Millionaire” in Oct. 23, 1897 NB entry.
Sam’s notebook: “He [Adolf Goerz] hs received my cheque (£ 200) & put £172.10 of it into 60 shs Roodepoort Central Deep at £ 2-7/8” [NB 40 TS 55]. Note: Sam sent the check on May 5.