February 6 Wednesday – The Hartford Alumni of Yale gave an annual banquet. This year’s took place at Foot Guard Hall in Hartford at 6:30 p.m. Sam gave what was “apparently” an impromptu and humorous dinner speech based upon his recent honorary MA degree from the school. He spoke of his recent trip to Washington and support for international copyright legislation. His notebook [MTNJ 3: 456-7&472] carries what may be drafts for this speech. Livy and Susan L. Crane attended the event [445n127]. Fatout includes what he says is “probably one of the discarded texts” in Mark Twain Speaking, p.235-7. MacLauchlin presents what is conjectured as a second discarded text for the banquet, dealing with the teaching of religion at Girard College in Phila., founded to give free primary and secondary education for poor white orphan boys, but with the stricture that no sectarian teaching would be allowed [33-6].

The New York Times ran a notice on page 1, (reprinted from an article in Keokuk, Iowa):

THE JUDGEMENT NOT SATISFIED.

KEOKUK, Iowa, Feb. 5. — Mr. Clemens and Charles L. Webster of the firm of C.L. Webster & Co. of New-York City are fighting for a judgment of $31,000 which they recently obtained here against D.L. Roots of Burlington, and his sureties, Henry Nan and L. Dee. The publishing company furnished a large number of copies of “Grant’s Memoirs,” for which no return was made. Judgment was secured against the defendants in the above amount, but was not satisfied.

Mr. Clemens now charges that Nan and Roots fraudulently transferred their property to evade the judgment. The court is requested to appoint a Receiver to take charge of the affair and make a thorough investigation.

Rose Terry Cooke wrote from Pittsfield, Mass. to ask if Sam might come on either the 27th or 28th of this month [MTP].

Mrs. C.C. Hedges wrote from Clinton, Miss. Sam marked it “Unanswered Letters.” A begging letter for $80 [MTP].

Francis Hopkinson Smith wrote from N.Y. to Sam. Smith was disappointed not to find him at home last week when he came to interview him for the Bacheller Newspaper Syndicate — “The public would be glad to know whether you consider marriage a failure — I feel certain that you do not” [MTP].