December 1 Friday – Isabella Beecher Hooker took a friend to see the Clemens’ home. Andrews observes that “the whole neighborhood felt free to show it to those who had not seen it” [86]. Isabella also ran into Bret Harte there, and “felt almost a dislike of him….” She had “an uncomfortable interview” during her visit with Sam that Andrews says “grew in importance as she thought about it, despite her realization that she might be oversensitively magnifying its significance.” From Isabella’s diary:

I joked him about not caring for a pretty lamp shade after he found it so very cheap—& he was vexed and said something about things going round the neighborhood & explained that he had no knowledge or taste himself & so when an established house said a thing was good & charged a good price for it he felt sure that it was worthy of Livy & and that was all he cared for. I said oh that was handsomely said but really as a matter of fact I thought one often paid a high price for a homely article under such circumstances—which he didn’t seem to like & again spoke of being talked about. When I said why it was all a joke as I heard it & retailed it—& one so given to joking as himself musnt mind it etc—but his eyes flashed & he looked really angry… [86].

December 1 or 2 Saturday – Sam went alone to New York City, where he stayed at the St. James Hotel [MTLE 1: 149]. The nature of his business there is unknown. NYC temperatures ranged from 19-14 degrees F. with no precipitation [NOAA.gov].