December 16 Friday – Sam wrote to Andrew M. Clute, NY attorney, requesting that the canceled contracts for the sale of the Tarrytown house be returned to William Evarts Benjamin, Sam’s friend and attorney who had handled the sale. This letter is not extant but referred to in the following from Clute:

Andrew M. Clute, NY attorney wrote to Sam. “I have your note of December 16th asking me to return your cancelled contract to Mr Benjamin. Mr Reeves has since called to see me and thinks the sale can be put through. I therefore enclose you herewith the two new contracts signed by Mr. Gardiner. You will see that they are substantially the same as the cancelled contract, with only two slight changes, which I feel justified in advising you to assent to” [MTP].

James MacArthur wrote to ask Sam to inscribe two photos of himself, for the wife of Charles Major, one for James and one for the lady [MTP]. Note: see prior entries on both men.

On or after this day at 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Isabel V. Lyon replied to the above for Sam to James MacArthur: “Mr. Clemens is very glad to comply with requests that are so complimentary as those are yours & Mrs Major’s” [MTP].

Sebastiano V. Cecchi wrote. “Your most interesting letter of the 17th ultimo [Nov. 17 not extant] came duly to hand, followed by your note of the 20th with Miss Jean’s. It is alright about the servants wages: they were to receive for the four months July to Oct., and I have paid that, and nothing more.” He hoped that all the matters outstanding about the Villa Quarto would be soon settled, and he sent regards to the family [MTP].