January 29 Friday – Sam gave his “Vandals” lecture at the Bench Street Methodist Church in Galena, Illinois. Afterwards, Sam wrote from Galena to Livy:
Livy darling, I have received your letter, & am perfectly delighted with it. I have finished my lecture tonight, the people are satisfied, your kiss has comforted me, & I am as happy & contented as anybody in the world to-night. And I am not sick yet, & even believe I shall not be—though for many days I have believed that only the will to finish my allotted task was really keeping me up,—& have felt sometimes that if I were delivering the last lecture of the list, and knew all responsibility was at last removed, that with the passing away of the tense strain I would surely drop to the floor without strength enough to rise again for weeks [MTL 3: 81-2].