1896- 7 Winter – Several write-ups of an anecdote exist for James Abbott McNeil Whistler being taken in by Mark Twain over a painting. This by Wientraub places it during this winter and does not see it as their first meeting, as some do:

In the Fitzroy Street studio that winter Whistler had few visitors. He was still not ready for them. But there was one he did permit, an American then living at 23 Tedworth Square, Chelsea, whom almost no one knew as Samuel L. Clemens. “I was determined to get the better of him, if possible,” Mark Twain recalled. He put on his “most hopelessly stupid air,” and drew close to a canvas on which Whistler was working. “That ain’t bad,” he said. “It ain’t bad; only here in this corner”—and he pointed to an area of the picture with his finger—“I’d do away with that cloud if I were you.”

“Gad, sir,” Whistler cried out, “be careful there. Don’t you see the paint isn’t dry?”

“Oh, that don’t matter,” said Twain. “I’ve got my gloves on.” And after that they got along well together [430].