November 5 Monday – Before leaving Princeton, N.J.., Sam inscribed Laurence Hutton’s copy of The Celebrated Frog of Calaveras County to: Laurence Hutton: “Prosperity & happiness to Laurence Hutton from his friend Mark Twain—Nov. 5, 1900.” Dated by Hutton on the fly-leaf, “Apr 21/70” [MTP: M.E. Wood, Laurence and Eleanor Hutton: Their Books of Association, 1905, p.129].

Sam also inscribed Laurence Hutton’s copy of The Gilded Age to:: “To Laurence Hutton proprietor of this book—reverence and love from the Author of it—to wit, Mark Twain Nov. 5, 1900” [MTP: M.E. Wood, Laurence and Eleanor Hutton: Their Books of Association, 1905, p.129].

Note: the inscription of these books on Nov. 5 shows that they spent Saturday and Sunday nights with the Huttons, and probably returned to N.Y.C. on this day. Sam’s correspondence preparing to return to Princeton on Nov. 16 to 18, showed he was uncertain about a train on Sunday; his Nov. 16 to Rogers suggested he “sign next Monday when I return from Princeton.”

Sam’s notebook: “Smoking Tobacco Mild Virginia Peritive, Turkish, Imperial Cavendish A. Ahrens 67 Nassau st” [NB 43 TS 28].

November 5 or 12 Monday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Chester Sanders Lord (1850-1933) , managing editor of the NY Sun and one of the founders of the Lotos Club: “I hold his Excellency in great honor & esteem…” [MTP: Howard S. Mott Inc. catalog, No. 202, Item 51]. Note: the catalog interprets the letter as a decline of an invitation to the Lotos Club, but his Nov. 2 to Matthews shows he was planning on the Nov. 10 engagement.