January 28 Friday – Sam wrote a post card from Hartford to Thomas Bailey Aldrich, who had been “captured” and confessed his love for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Sam was “delighted!” so much so that he felt healthy again, after being “in the doctor’s hands for 2 months…” [MTLE 1: 16].

Sam also wrote a short note to Miss Higgins (unknown). Sam added a PS:

“Will you kindly make my peace with Mr. J. Lawrence Kearny, & tell him I have truly repented & now take nothing but sack-cloth & ashes for dinner?” [MTLE 1: 17]. Note: James Lawrence Kearny, journalist and author (1846-1921). Sam “repented” from the “Punch, brothers! Punch” jingle quoted in his article “A Literary Nightmare,” in the Feb. 1876 Atlantic.

Sam also wrote a one-liner to an unidentified person: “I repent me in sack cloth & ashes?” [MTLE 1: 19].

Sam also wrote to William Wright (Dan De Quille), telling him to “keep his shirt on” about The Big Bonanza coming out. Dan had written Sam asking if he knew when the book would be out.

“Bliss never yet came within 4 months of getting a book out at the time he said he would. On the Innocents he overstepped his word & his contract 13 months—& I suffered questioning all that time” [MTLE 1: 18].