January 27 Thursday – In Cambridge, Mass., Howells wrote to Sam, still unable to come down for a quick visit on Saturday, but he was “getting the better” of his “literary misery.” Howells reported praise of Sam’s article in the Feb. Atlantic, “Literary Nightmare” :

The day the number came out, I dined at Ernest Longfellow’s [artist, son of the poet (1845-1921)], and before I got into the parlor, I heard him and Tom Appleton [(1812-1884) brother-in-law of Henry W. Longfellow] urging each other to punch with care. They said the Longfellow ladies all had it by heart, and last night at the Fieldses they told me that Boston was simply devastated by it [MTHL 1: 124-5].

A.R. Stover wrote to Sam asking for his conception of the character of Scotty in Buck Fanshaw’s Funeral—in writing [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “From a Boston ass”. Twain usually resented such questions into his craft.