December 1 Sunday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to the Nov. 30 from Miss Florence Benson.

Dear Florence:

Thank you for your nice note.—

(Private.) I have always concealed it before, but now I am compelled to confess that I am Tom Sawyer!

 [MTP]. See Florence’s Nov. 30 letter.

Sam also wrote to daughter Jean.  

Oh, Jean dear, it is a lovely work of art, a beautiful work of art! It reminds me of the metal work your mother took such delight in in India. She would delight in this fine piece of yours still more, both because these frogs are better done than those elephants, & because you did them. I thank you deeply for my birthday-remembrancer, dear child.

I lunched at Mr. Rogers’s in 78th street, Thanksgiving Day, & dined out that evening. Returned home at 11 p. m., with a neighbor, & played billiards until my birthday was 4 hours old. I slept 3½ hours, then began the day half an hour earlier than usual, so as to get the most possible out of it. I went to a matinèe.

I was in bed by 9, last night, & have had an uninterrupted sleep, & am ready for my breakfast, which will arrive presently. Also, I walked up to the osteopath at noon, yesterday, & had a treatment.

With many & many hugs & kisses / Father [MTP]. Note: Thanksgiving was Nov. 28, so the dates do not quite line up here. It’s possible that Sam confused the day he lunched at Rogers’ with the day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 29, for then playing billiards after midnight would have taken him into his birthday.