January 2 Saturday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote a postcard to daughter Jean. “Happy New Year, Jean dear! And I hope you will have many more. / Affectionately” … [MTP].

Sam also wrote a postcard with a photograph of Stormfield to Dorothy Quick. Happy New Year! Jan. 2’09

It is a very nice poem, Dorothy dear; that is my opinion, & Miss Lyon’s, too.

We had a very pleasant Xmas, in spite of Robert Collier’s elephant. Miss Lyon & Mr. Ashcroft were horribly worried about the elephant for several days & nights, trying to think what to do with him. Then he came, & the worry ceased. It was a very successful joke / Lovingly / … [MTP; MTAq 244-5].

Edwin A.W. Bohl wrote from Peoria, Ill. to Sam. “I am 11 years old to-day and have read almost all of your books…and have laughed and enjoyed them like everything.” He wished he’d gotten that elephant for Christmas instead of Sam and asked Sam not to laugh at mistakes in the typed letter [MTP].

The Elgin Press Club, Elgin, Ill. per R.C. Brophy wrote to ask for “an autographed letter to be sold at auction” for their upcoming function [MTP]. Note: “Ans. Jan 5 M.L.H.”

Alice Minnie Herts for the Children’s Educational Theatre wrote to remind Sam of the lecture to “take place at the Lyceum Theatre on Friday next” and urging him to add his own comments, as “No one knows as well as you…what our children and young people are trying to do in this work…”  [MTP]. Note: “Ans.”

Minnie J. Reynolds for the National-American Woman Suffrage Assoc., NYC wrote to ask Clemens for the use of his name as a facsimile autograph for use in their cause [MTP]. Note: “Ans. Jan 5 M.L.H.”