April 25 Thursday – Sam had been asked to preside at the dinner of the Get Together Club in Arlington Hall, but sent a letter pleading poor health. The gathering and the letter was reported by the New York Times, Apr. 25, p.9:

MARK TWAIN TO THE CLUB

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Why He Did Not Attend the Dinner of the Get Together Organization No. 3.

Mark Twain had been asked to preside last night at the dinner of the Get Together Club, No. 3, in Arlington Hall, St. Mark’s Place. He sent a letter, in which he said:

“I must not venture it, although my sympathies are naturally with you in the work which you are inaugurating. I have temporarily broken myself down with trying to do too many things, and shall try to save what is left of me by going softly for some months to come and limiting my industries to the several engagements to which I am already pledged.

“I beg you to pardon me for not replying yesterday, but indeed I was not able. I am wrecked with rheumatism these last six days, and do my sleeping by snatches in the daytime, for I get no reprieves from pain in the night.”

Sam’s notebook: “? Read in Princeton” [NB 44 TS 9].

An unidentified female (“A sister of one of the ‘little ones’”) wrote to Sam, accusing him of having “looted pure and noble Christian character. What reparation can you make?” This against his article “Sitting in Darkness” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “Use this as a Wish Text”.