November 5, 1884 to February 28, 1885 – Mark Twain and George Washington Cable went on a grand tour,” Twins of Genius” tour, with over 100 engagements, managed by James B. Pond. Sam read and delivered passages from numerous works including Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Celebrated Jumping Frog, and others. Cable read from Dr. Sevier and sang Creole songs.

Luckily both men wrote their wives almost daily, and most of those letters have survived.

Note: Basic tour stops and information taken from four sources: Cardwell Twins; Lorch Trouble; Fatout Circuit, and Railton’s site: http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/huckfinn/hftourhp.html

November 5 Wednesday – During the day, Sam wrote from Hartford to Chatto & Windus, thanking them for a royalties check for £356.

“I think the country spewed up the filthy Blaine yesterday. At least such is our hope & belief this morning. Webster is in California or Oregon establishing general agencies, so I’ve no book news. I take the platform to-night, after an eight or ten years’ absence…This trip’s my last—forever & ever” [MTP].

In the evening Sam and Cable gave a reading at the Opera House, New Haven, Conn. Livy was in the “large and refined audience,” according to Cardwell [15]. Cable wrote to his wife that the performance had been “an emphatic success.” After the reading Dr. Francis Bacon and wife gave a tea for the performers and friends [Turner, MT & GWC 50-1].

Walter Besant for Incorporated Society Authors wrote to bestow honorary membership [MTP].