March 14 Saturday – In New York City, Sam autographed a banquet invitation at Delmonico’s to British actor Henry Irving. About this day Sam presented the proofs of volume one of Grant’s Memoirs to the General for his approval [Perry 166]. Note: Sam may have been in New York between this day and Mar. 20, since Perry puts this presentation of proofs as the “third week in March.”

Sam also wrote from Hartford to James B. Pond, a letter which puts into question the date of the surprise P&P performance by Susy Clemens and cast:

My boy, you ought to have been here tonight to see Susie & Clara & a dozen of the neighbors’ children play half a dozen stirring scenes from the Prince & the Pauper—one of the prettiest private theatrical performances I have ever seen. Audience of 25 neighbors. Mrs. Clemens has been drilling these kids 3 or 4 weeks in their parts, & to-night the thing was sprung on me as a surprise. When it is repeated, you must run up & see it [MTP].

Was this the first performance, later recalled by Sam and cited by others as pre-Christmas 1884 during the break from Sam’s tour with Cable? Or, was this the first follow-up show? (See Dec. 19, 1884 entry).

Sam also told Pond he was coming down to New York “next Friday, arriving at 6,” and would “stay over Sunday.”

39,000 copies of Huck Finn sold by this date [Budd, “Collected” 978].

Charles Webster wrote “Huck Finn is a success…I have sold 39,000 books” He had contracts of another 6,000 [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env., “Re – Huck / 46,000 copies”