July 14 Wednesday – David R. Locke (Petroleum V. Nasby) wrote from Toledo, Ohio .

My good friend Clemens:—your letter came duly to hand[.] As I had no idea of going to the Pacific this season your proposition takes my breath away. If I had my new lecture completed I wouldn’t hesitate a minute, but really isn’t “Cussed be Canaan” too old? You know that that lemon, our African brother, juicy as he was in his day, has been squeezed dry….Give me a week to think of your proposition. If I can jerk a lecture in time I will go with you [MTP]. Note: no recent letter from Twain is extant, but it would seem from Locke’s reply that Sam had proposed a joint lecture tour in California.