September 17 Thursday – Andrew Carpenter Wheeler of the New York World published a lengthy criticism of the Gilded Age play in his “Amusements” column. While not unrestrained praise, the play was certainly a hit and the criticism positive [MTL 6: 643 for text of review]. The New York Herald wrote:

“The Gilded Age” fills a void in drama of purely American life that has long been felt, and its great success at its first representation should encourage the author to turn his talents in this direction again [MTL 6: 235n2].

3.3 inches of rain drenched the NYC area [NOAA.gov].

In Cambridge, Mass., William Dean Howells wrote a short note to Sam that “This little story delights me more and more: I wish you had about forty of ‘em!” [MTHL 1: 25]. “A True Story.”