April 14 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to James R. Osgood, arranging dates for the first leg of the Mississippi River trip.

“All right, call in Apl. 17—and start from New York, at 6 P.M., Pennsylvania road (ain’t it?) Hotel car all the way to Chicago—dam sight better than a mere dam sleeping car. How does this strike you?” [MTLTP 155].

Sam traveled to Boston to meet Howells and Aldrich at Osgood’s—all guests for the next day’s Saturday Morning Club of Boston [MTNJ 2: 455n69; MTHL 1: 399]. No doubt Sam returned Fairchild’s bumbershoot.

Johnny Bright & Claude Hope (yes, two girls) wrote a fan letter from Columbia, Ga. asking Sam for an answer and a visit to play his fiddle, if he had one. They added a PS for Livy “(Mrs Twain)”: “Please ask Mr Twain to answer this letter” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Answered in such a way that it need not be answered again.”; and “From two children / foolish letter”

Charles Webster wrote to Sam, still chasing after the Blisses about any loss Sam incurred. Frank Bliss agreed to come to Alexander & Green “the lion’s den” to answer questions, where they could “scare him if he is to be scared.” He added notes about family and Orion, who wasn’t coming to NY [MTP].