January – Sam inscribed a copy of Songs of Nature (1901) by John Burroughs (1837-1921): “S.L. Clemens, Riverdale, Jan. 1902” [Gribben 117]. Note: Burroughs was a naturalist and essayist important to the movement of conservation in the U.S. His books were enormously popular in his day. He was voted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1905.

Sam inscribed on the front free endpaper of vol. I of Rene Vallery-Radot’s (1853-1933) 1902 The Life of Pasteur: “SL. Clemens / Riverdale-on-Hudson / Jan. 1902. / From [Auguste] Jaccaci / of McClure’s / Admirably written—this book. / And ably translated, too.” On the front pastedown he wrote: “SL. Clemens / Among Biographies this one is surely entitled to rank as the Taj Mahal ranks among marble memorials” [Gribben 721].

The first of two segments of Sam’s story, “The Double- Barrelled Detective Story” ran in Harper’s Monthly. It was collected in The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories (1903).

January–March – Henry Wise wrote asking for copies of RI and FE with autograph. “I take your works to cure the blues or as an antidote to the writings of Herbert Spencer. There is $10. in it.” Sam answered by forwarding the letter to Frank Bliss: “Dear Bliss: This duffer has been trying to make a pedler of my books— without my consent. Take him off my hands; I’m tired of him” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to an unidentified person: “Your guess was right. Hannibal was the place—& the cave three miles below” [MTP]. Note: in his 21 June 1902, Henry Wise reported having rec’d this answer but it did not fit his request for books! Evidently, Sam mixed up his mail replies.