January 4 Saturday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam replied to Joe Twichell, that, having declined five public functions pleading he did not go outside of the city, he could not very well accept Twichell’s to come to Hartford “upon any invitation to a function there.” Therefore, he would not let Twichell know if he was coming and if it got into the newspapers that he was, he would stay home. “For I live upon the public confidence, & must not lie to it openly.” Therefore he would just say that he had “to spend part of a day, & a night, in Hartford some time or other between this & April 1st—the particular date is not material.” He also forwarded news about Thomas Bailey Aldrich:

Say—Aldrich became a grandfather in the closing days of December. What late crops we are having!—we boys that foregathered together in New York & Boston thirty & thiry-three-&-four years ago. Hay, Aldrich Howells, Whitelaw Reid, Clemens—all sterile in the second generation but that little poet [MTP].

Sam also wrote to John Francis Holme. “I rather admire that aesophagus myself, Mr. Holme, especially because it caught our editor of the magazine and he sent to ask if I had made a mistake. Very truly yours, Mrk Twain. ” [MTP].

Elisabeth Marbury wrote to Sam.

I have your letter of Dec 31st regarding “The Death Disk”, and I will draw Sir Henry Irving’s attention to it, and in the meanwhile will see Mr. Lancaster, who has applied to you. [She was] very much mystified regarding Mr. Dillingham’s position in the “Tom Sawyer” business. He came to my office and said most distinctly that he was sure there would be no difficulty in my arranging the matter with Mr. Frohman, that most naturally you need a representative in New York, that all it would require was a letter of authority from you, that Mr. Frohman would then pay over the check, etc. etc. [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “Who is my agent? Inquiry & answer. / Jan. 6/02”