October 25 Friday – The Clemens party left Bendigo at 5 a.m. and arrived in Maryborough in the afternoon. In ch. XXXI of FE Sam relates talking to a man he thought to be a minister who warned him about the bad hotel in Maryborough, and warned him with some swearing included. Upon arrival he asked the man’s friend if the man was in the ministry — “No — studying for it,” came the reply. They were met at the railroad station and driven to Town Hall for an official welcome in the Mayor’s parlor by Mayor F.J. Field and townspeople. The welcome included music. In responding to the toast Sam told the story of the bell clock at Bendigo. A “Splendid photograph” of the reception party was taken in front of Town Hall by Charlie Farr, and displayed within an hour.

In the evening Sam gave his “Mark Twain At Home” (No. 1) lecture at the Maryborough Town Hall. A review of the lecture was published on Oct. 28 in the Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser. After the lecture Sam called at Farr’s photography studio to congratulate him “on the excellent result” of the photograph, saying if he had the time he would have given a special sitting.