February 27 Friday – Sam wrote from Philadelphia to William Dean Howells:

To-night in Baltimore, to-morrow afternoon & night in Washington, & my four-months platform campaign is ended at last. It has been a curious experience. It has taught me that Cable’s gifts of mind are greater & highter than I had suspected. But—

That “But” is pointing toward his religion. You will never know, never divine, guess, imagine, how loath-some a thing the Christian religion can be made until you come to know & study Cable daily & hourly. Mind you, I like him; he is pleasant company; I rage & swear at him sometimes, but we do not quarrel; we get along mighty happily together; but in him & his person I have learned to hate all religions. He has taught me to detest the Sabbath-day & hunt up new & troublesome wasy to dishonor it [MTP]. Note: Fatout, using Pond’s records, lists the take for the Baltimore reading at $754 [Circuit 218].

Sam planned to return to New York City on Monday and stay one or two days, “mainly at Webster’s office,” so he asked Howells if he’d write him there (Sam was in Washington, D.C. on Monday, Mar. 2, but may have left that day for New York.)

Sam and Cable traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, where they gave a reading at the Oratorio Hall. Clemens included: “A Dazzling Achievement,” “A Ghost Story,” “Jumping Frog” and “The Bluejay’s Mistake” [MTPO].