November 26 Sunday – In New York, Sam attended his dinner invitation with Henry Irving at Delmonico’s. Fatout reports this as a dinner speech [MT Speaking 660]. Sam accepted the invitation behind the stage at Abbey’s Theatre on Nov. 17.

Sam inscribed a copy of P&P to Edy (no further name given): To Edy from Mark Twain with his best wishes and kindest regards. New York, Nov. 26, ’93. [MTP].

Sam also inscribed a copy of CY to his old friend and Comstock Lode magnate, John Mackay: To John Mackay / from Mark Twain / ~ / With affectionate remembrances of a friendship which has stood the wear of thirty-one years & is not out of repair yet. / The Players, Nov. 26, 1893 [LLMT 279; MTP].

In his Nov. 28 letter to Livy, Sam quoted his inscription and told of not being able to join Mackay due to his prior engagement with Henry Irving. He wrote that John Russell Young said Mackay was “as pleased as a child” with the book. At midnight, after being called for, Sam joined John Mackay with a dozen guests at the Players Club where a dinner for “two old Californians” was winding down.

…& I helped do the talking (in my usual modest proportion, perhaps) till 1:30; & I did a still better service: I took the restraints off of Mackay & made things easy for him — for the others, a dozen guests, couldn’t well do it, they being new acquaintances. I have always had a warm feeling for him & he has had the same for me. He said I promised to send him a book, & didn’t. So I sent it a couple of days ago [the one inscribed above] [LLMT 279].