November 14 Tuesday – In New York at the Players Club, Sam wrote to Livy.

The Booth Memorial Service a the Madison Square Garden yesterday was impressive & beautiful. All the distinction of New York was massed in that place. I seemed to be personally acquainted with half of the people there. There is no church congregation in Hartford where I would recognize any where near such a huge proportion of the faces. It was like being in a family gathering.

Sam confided that Henry Rogers wanted to see him on Thursday (Nov. 16), and he would “be there, you may be sure.” The rest of the letter dealt with the dinner party of the night before (see Nov. 13 for excerpts) [MTP].

Sam also answered an invitation from William Dean Howells, “presumably…to meet the actors Joseph Jefferson and Sol Smith Russell on the evening of Sunday, 19 November” [MTHL 2: 654n1]. (Editorial emphasis.)

Land, I wish I could! But I dine at Hutton’s next Sunday evening. I am sorry enough to ever miss any moment of Jefferson, for some day I am going to need his influence when he is an archangel….You must remember me to Sol Smith Russell — I have known him long.

Sam added after his signature a directive for Howells to “Put on evening dress for the Theatre Thursday night” (Nov. 16) [MTHL 2: 654].

Sam also wrote his old road manager, James B. Pond, who evidently had invited him to come to Washington. Sam asked Pond to send the same newspapers he’d sent to Livy to Orion in Keokuk. He also explained his situation:

The fact is, my time is so uncertain that I dasn’t make an engagement for Washington or elsewhere just yet. Otherwise I would do it with great pleasure. Ys Ever / Mark [MTP].

Sam also wrote a short note to Franklin G. Whitmore in Hartford, asking him to find and send his “perpetual free ticket to Irving’s theatres.” He drew an oval and wrote the words inscribed on the ticket, asking him to send it to The Players Club. He added he would “try to send those autographs” [MTP]. Note: Sam wanted to use his pass on Thursday, Nov. 16.