March 5 Monday – At the opening of the Guelph Club for billiards in New York, Sam introduced the great French billiards player, Maurice Vignaux and several other players, including George F. Slosson, Joseph Dion, and William Sexton, for an exhibition warm up match anticipating a large tournament in Chicago later in the month [N.Y. Times Mar. 6 p.5]. The Washington Post of Mar. 6, in a story datelined New York, Mar. 5, p.1 titled “Vignaux Beats Sexton Easily” reported the players were introduced, among whom were a number of noted lawyers and billiardists, by Mark Twain in a humorous speech [Schmidt]. The Times article does not mention Sam’s presence.

John Bellows (1831-1902) wrote from London to ask “where Mark Twain is” and offering to send a copy of his book [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Author of the admirable little French-English Dictionary” which Clemens found useful in his 1878/79 trip abroad.

Frank M. Daulton wrote “rejoiced to hear from you, your mother and Orion and to know they are still in the land of the living. Parmelia [Pamela] was just blooming into womanhood and I was a bashful boy then, and consequently never got very well acquainted” [MTP].