April 27 Tuesday – In Cambridge, Mass., Howells wrote Sam that he needed to “get fairly launched” in his story, “Private Theatricals,” before visiting Hartford again. And of the squelched trip to New Orleans:

—Now, Clemens, it really hurts me, since you seemed to wish me so much to go with you to New Orleans, to say that I can’t. It would be the ruin of my summer’s work, and though I think something literary might come of it for me, I haven’t the courage to borrow any more of the future, when I’m already in debt to it. You are very good, and I’m touched and flattered that you want my company so much as to be willing to pay vastly more for it than it’s worth [MTHL 1: 79].

N.F. Livingston wrote to Sam, praising GA [MTP].