December 28 Monday – Sigourney J. Cowles wrote from Westfield, Mass. to Sam about “Mental Telegraphy” [MTP].

December 27 Sunday – The Boston Daily Globe, p.20 “A NEW STORY BY MARK TWAIN.” announced that in next Sunday’s edition would carry the first installment of “The American Claimant.”

A unique feature of this story is that each instalment contains some special feature, so that if you have missed a chapter or two you can still enjoy the quaint humor of Mark Twain in another.

December 26 Saturday – In Berlin Sam wrote a “Happy New-Year!” to Frederick J. Hall:

PLEASE RENEW MY LETTER OF CREDIT! / Expires Jan. 7.

December 25 Friday – Christmas – In Berlin, Sam inscribed a copy of CY to Mary B. Willard: To / Mrs. Willard / with the / Sincere regards of / The Author. / Berlin, Xmas, 1891. [MTP].

December 24 Thursday – In Berlin Sam wrote to Rudolf Lindau, enclosing a photograph he said was “pretty old — nearly 8 years — but it is the last that was taken. Now I’ll look for yours” [MTP].

December 23 Wednesday – In Berlin Sam finished the Dec. 22 letter to Hall, all written in a PS and PPS longer than the Dec. 22 segment. Edmund C. Stedman wanted an increase in his royalties from LAL. Sam addressed the issue:

Mrs. Clemens urged that I wait over night and then write something pleasant anent the LAL increase of royalty.

December 22 Tuesday – In Berlin Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus asking for four P&P’s “nicely bound.” He enclosed the second of six syndicate letters.

I will send the rest myself from month to month as they appear, so that you can set up the little book at your leisure [MTP]. Note: Sam proposed a booklet named, “Recent Glimpses of Europe” made from the six syndicated Europe letters.

December 21 Monday – The Boston Daily Globe, p.17 ran this interesting article on Orion Clemens:

MARK TWAIN’S BROTHER

Would be a Good Character for One of the Humorist’s Books.

Mark Twain has a brother living in Keokuk, Ia., who is absent-minded enough for Mark to “put in a book.”

December 20 Sunday – Albert B. Joy sent Sam a printed invitation requesting a visit “on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays in the afternoon / The Studio, Beaumont Road / beside the West Kensington station, North End Road” [MTP].

December 19 Saturday – Sam may have stayed overnight in Dresden or returned late Dec. 18.

“Playing Courier” first ran as “The Tramp Abroad Again: II. Playing Courier” in The Illustrated London News on this day and also Dec. 26 [Budd, Collected 1000].