February 21 Saturday – Upon arriving in New York, Sam and Cable breakfasted with Ozias Pond and his wife, Nella. He inscribed a copy of the newly published Huck Finn for Ozias, whose health had improved [Cardwell 64]. Sam then immediately made his way to the home of General Grant, hopeful that Grant’s memoirs would be given to Webster & Co. [Perry 137]. Grant confirmed that he, his son, and George W. Childs had been negotiating with Webster, since Sam’s last call (see Nov. 20, 1884 entry). “I mean you shall have the book—I have made up my mind about that,” Grant said [138]. The bad news was the doctors gave Grant “only a few weeks to live.” (See Perry’s Grant and Twain for the full story.)

Sam went straight to the offices of his nephew, Charles Webster, and directed him to finish the details on the Grant contract and deliver it to his home. Sam agreed to hire a stenographer to help Grant finish the work. Noble E. Dawson was chosen—he’d been with Grant in Mexico [Perry 140-1].

Sam and Cable gave a reading in the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York. From the Brooklyn Eagle for Feb. 22:

The Academy of Music was well filled last night by an audience which was entertained by Mark Twain and George W. Cable. It is not long since these gentlemen visited Brooklyn, but they have entirely failed to exhaust their welcome. Both readers were in excellent humor, their drolleries competing with the more pathetic efforts by which the programme was diversified [MTP]. Note: Others misidentify this reading as New York City; Brooklyn was an independent city prior to 1898. Fatout lists the take from this reading as $983 [Circuit 218].

He also inscribed a copy of Huck Finn with this date and city to an unidentified person [MTP].

Twichell’s journal holds tickets to the dedication of the Washington Monument this date [Yale, copy at MTP].