November 11 Saturday – Sam woke at 6 AM and traveled to Boston, where he had breakfast and then wrote Livy at 11 AM. Feeling “rusty & stupid,” Sam wrote:
“You see those country hotels always ring a gong at 6 & another at half-past, & between the two they would snake out Lazarus himself, let alone me, who am a light sleeper when nervous” [MTL 4: 488].
In the evening Sam went to the Boston Press Club dinner, but described it as a “cold-water” dinner (no alcohol) and that it broke up at “10.30—& with a sign instead of a hurrah.” Nevertheless, Sam’s toast was a huge hit [MTL 4: 490].