March 28 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Edgar W. Howe, who had evidently written for addresses:

“Care of the Century, Union Square, New York” will fetch half of them; “Care of the Atlantic, 4 Park street Boston,” will fetch the other half. [He also added individual addresses for Aldrich, Cable, Uncle Remus (Harris), Col. George E. Waring and Col. T.W. Higginson of Newport, R.I, John Hay, Cleveland, Ohio, Willie Winter, N.Y. Tribune and Edmund C. Stedman, care of the Century] [MTP].

Henri Gauthier-Villars  (1859-1931) wrote to convey an episode about late night laughter coming from the room next to his, in the small town of Darmstadt. Upon investigating he discovered his “old friend Will” was reading a book (not specified) signed by Mark Twain.

Since that evening, Sir, I have learned to know you like Willy, I have devoured the handkerchiefs; like Willy I have rolled on my bed, but I have wanted to do more than him, and I tried to explain in some pages that I published why your humor has pleased the French so much, just like your own countrymen, “laughter is the nature of man” [MTP].

Note: Henri is now best known as the first husband to Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954), successful French novelist (notably Gigi). Henri published Mark Twain this year; Clemens was aware of the book (see Apr. 22 to Aldrich). Ironically, Henri published over 50 novels under the pseudonym “Willy.” In fact, his mention of “Willy” in this letter may have been a thinly veiled reference to himself and an attempt to publicize his book on Twain. No reply to Henri is extant.

J. Hyatt Smith wrote a fan letter from Brooklyn to Clemens with request for autograph [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “P.S. Good / J. Hyatt Smith”

William Dean Howells wrote to Sam: “Here is the grand result of my negotiation, I always knew that business was my forte. / I simply answered that the terms did not differ from those proposed to Mr. Webster last autumn, and it was useless to submit them to you. / Of course I gave Raymond no points [? Prints] of the play. / Yours ever… [Vassar copy at MTP].