October 8 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Edmund Clarence Stedman in Bronxville, N.Y.

Mr. Dodge gave me the valued accommodation of a lift up the hill the other day, & although he wouldn’t come in at that time he promised that he & his family would come & see us later—we hope the contract will be made good. Yes, I am here for peace & repose…we are not of those who desire the peace & repose of the hermit or the convict.

Sam also agreed to read “that poem” and so would Livy, whom he called Stedman’s “appreciative friend…in whose heart you have permanent lodgement” [MTP]. Note: William E. Dodge. See Gribben 661 on Stedman.

The New York Press, p.3 ran “Mark Twain Won’t Be Stump Speaker,” consisting of six short paragraphs quoting Sam on his activity in the current mayoral election [Budd, “Supplement” ALR 16.1 (Spring 1983) 69]. Budd’s no. 169a. Also in MTCI 403-4.

The New York Evening Post, p. 3, ran a short interview article, “Why Mark Twain is for Seth Low.”

“How will you vote, Mr. Clemens?”

He was striding up and down the big, sunny room. Once he stopped abruptly, put down his pipe, and said: “I shall vote the Low ticket. I am only interested in voting this ticket, what ever it may be. I’ll vote for anything that opposes Tammany Hall. I’d rather have Mr. Low than Satan on the ticket, but I’d vote for Satan himself if he were on the Low ticket; indeed, I would.” Here the walk was resumed as far as the corner of the worktable, when Mr. Clemens stopped long enough to pry open the lid of a cigar-box.

“I’ve known Mr. Low personally for seven years and I think he’s one of the finest men I’ve ever met, but this voting of mine is not to be a matter of personalities. I’m going to vote against Tammany, and I’m glad it means voting for Mr. Low [MTCI 400-3].