December 24 Sunday – Sam returned to Hartford, accompanied by Xantippe (Tip) Saunders (see Dec. 18 and 20 entries).

The New York World ran a page two interview with Sam titled, “A Connecticut Carpet-bag.” Sam sidestepped a reporter’s questions in a humorous way [Scharnhorst, Interviews 7-9].

In the evening Sam went to a caroling party at the Twichell home, and presented him with an inscribed copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer:  “To Joseph H. Twichell / from his true friend / S. L. Clemens/ Christmas 1876” [MTLE 1: 156; MTPO Notes with Dec. 25 to Twichell].