November 24 Monday – Sam sent a postcard from Hartford to James B. Pond, the lecture circuit manager of the Boston Literary Bureau, who evidently had asked if he would lecture for charity. Sam responded he was “busy head over heels, & it’s just a solid impossibility” [MTLE 4: 158].

In the evening Sam and Livy attended a lavish banquet at Armsmear, the Colt Mansion, given by Mrs. Elizabeth H. Jarvis Colt (1826-1905), widow of Samuel Colt (1814-1862), inventor of the revolving-breech pistol [Powers, MT A Life 433]. The party was in honor of the only child’s twenty-first birthday, Caldwell H. Colt. The shindig rivaled the Mayor of London banquet for numbers of guests and elegance. The New York Times of Nov. 24, page five, previewed the party at:

…her elegant mansion on Wethersfield avenue….Over 1,000 invitations have been issued, and it will be the greatest society affair which Hartford has seen in many years.

On Nov. 25, the Times again ran a column on page five about the party.

So great was the demand for carriages that the entire public livery of the city had its hacks in service. Guests began to arrive at 8:30 o’clock, and were coming and going until near mid-night. The house all the while was thronged. There were magnificent floral decorations; the parlor mantels were banked with choice flowers. Festoons were hung from the center chandeliers to different points of the sides of the room, and there were groups of tropical and foliage plants. The large conservatory, filled with tropical plants, was brilliantly illuminated. The tables were elegantly spread…There was fine music by Colt’s Armory Band and Adkins’s Quadrille Orchestra.

Also on Nov. 25, the Hartford Courant called the ball “one of the most brilliant parties which has ever been given in Hartford.” Livy wrote to her mother saying, “I enjoyed it and Mr. Clemens enjoyed it immensely.” Livy described dances in fancy dress costumes to the music of Mother Goose. Moncure Conway was also there. In his notebook, Sam listed the characters and later added the names of those who played the roles [MTNJ 2: 378n66].

Many guests were listed in the Times report, including Charles Dudley Warner, ex-governor Joseph R. Hawley, and General William B. Franklin. Samuel Clemens was not listed in the New York papers. The Colt estate left to young Caldwell Colt was stated at between five and six million dollars.

Jahu DeWitt Miller (1857-1911), journalist, wrote to Sam

My dear Sir / Will you have the goodness to send me as fully as you may be able the history of y’r pseudonym—“Mark Twain.” How it was originated when you first used it, & in what connection on all these points I sh. be exceedingly glad to be informed.

      I am preparing a handy book on pseudonyms—to include the history of the more important ones—wh. the Harpers are to publish—and it is extremely desirable th. I have the information for wh. I ask.

            With the hope th. I am putting you to no great incovenience / Believe me Dear Sir / to be faithfully: Rev. J. Dewitt Miller. / 34 West —24th St / New York City [MTP]. Note: Clemens wrote on the letter, “From an ass—Not answered.” His note begs the question why such a response to an innocent request? Was it Miller’s approach, his style of abbreviation, did Clemens consider the request impertinent? or did Clemens have some former contact with Miller? See Dec. 2? 1874 entry for more on Miller.