November 15 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Joseph Hatton of the N.Y. Herald that it had been “an age since we foregathered in London.” Sam was reminded that he was old. Hatton’s Nov. 11 confessed he’d missed the P&P play in Brooklyn, which was Edward H. House’s version. “Not much loss,” Sam wrote. As for visiting the Hattons in New York, Sam wrote,

I suppose I shall get to New York but seldom this winter, as the recent death of my mother has withdrawn me from festivities, & the indifferent health of my wife inclines me to shut myself up at home & be as good company as I can myself since she hasn’t any other [MTP].

Thomas F. Shields the conductor fired for his Nov. 8 behavior to Sam in New York, wrote a letter of apology and entreaty for Sam to intervene for him with his employer. Shields sent the letter to the wrong address and also to “Mr. Geo Clements (Mark Twain),” which should have been enough for Sam to round-file it, but Sam had Fred Hall write to the president of the Sixth Avenue Railroad Co. and Shields got his job back [MTNJ 3: 594n72].