April 24 Thursday – In Hartford this was the day of the big test of the Paige typesetter for Senator John P. Jones and contingent. They arrived from New York about noon. Sam met the group at the train depot, took them home and fed them a big dinner. Kaplan writes this reception was “calculated to make them grateful and happy,” and that they were “plied with Roman punch, champagne, brandy and his best stories, and then loaded into the family carriage.” The machine failed. The contingent “marched out in disgust” leaving Sam in a deep depression [304].

Emily Gooding, “a country woman…raised in Boone Co. Missouri,” wrote from Post Oak, Texas to ask Sam to critique her poetry [MTP].

Frederick J. Hall wrote to Sam having received his vote. Ward McAllister would not commit until his MS was completed.

Will let you know the developments regarding the books. I have an appointment to see Gen. Sherman on Saturday. I do not think it will pay us to take this book if he wants any advancement in cash, because it has had its sale, but if we can get it on the terms he suggests, that is, merely take control of the stock and pay him commission on what we sell, it may pay us to get it, because when the General dies it will have a little boom [MTP].

The Lyceum (Dublin) sent Sam what appears to be a typed TS on lined tablet paper of their Vol. III No. 31 for April 1890 with the lead article, “MARK TWAIN AMONG THE PROPHETS”[MTP].