January 29 Tuesday – H. Billard wrote from N.Y. asking Sam for a contribution for a book to be sold at the American Institute’s Fair Feb. 18 to 26. [MTP].

January 28 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to the editor of the London Pall Mall Gazette, a newspaper that often carried articles and notices about Mark Twain. In this case the paper had printed from Sam’s letter to an “English friend” of Sam’s, (George Standring [MTNJ 3: 440n112]) that Mark Twain had invented the typesetting machine.

January 26 Saturday – In Hartford, Sam responded to Irving Putnam’s Jan. 24 praise about P&P.

January 25 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Joe Twichell complimenting him on his speech of the previous evening.

January 24 Thursday – Joseph H. Twichell gave a historical address at a celebration of the 250th anniversary of Connecticut’s first constitution. The Hartford Courant of Jan. 25 called Twichell’s speech “Magnificent.” Sam was not there. See Jan. 25 to Twichell.

In Hartford Sam wrote to an unidentified person, declining to comply with a request.

January 23 Wednesday – Robert Underwood Johnson for Century Magazine wrote to Sam:”All right. We’ll go next week then, say Thursday or Friday. The vote will be moved (to set a day) on Monday Feb. 4” [MTP].

January 22 Tuesday – Webster & Co. wrote Sam two letters; the first typed covering several subjects, which Sam noted on the envelope, “Beecher terms all right, Root compromise ditto, Don’t want that book,” referring to a diary of Lt. Long of the Greeley expedition sent by Richard E. Burton. The second missive from Webster: “We hasten to return the $5,000 note to you. Our Gen’l Agts responded well; this morning’s mail contained nearly $7,000” [MTP]

January 21 Monday – Sam gave a reading at Smith College, Northampton, Mass. that included the segments, “Lucerne Girl,” “Tar Baby,” “Andrea del Sarto,” “German Lesson,” “Interviewer,” “Bluejay,” “Baker’s Cat,” and “Golden Arm.” Fatout writes, “Mark Twain admitted to his notebook that this program was too long by at least a half hour”[658]. This reading was one of several Sam gave to support charitable causes; in this case he raised $200.59 for the school’s gymnasium fund [MTNJ 3: 444n120].

January 20 Sunday – The New York Press responded to a question whether Sam was “still writing” the “Funny Side” column, that he was “mostly confined to writing on checks” [Budd, Our MT 84].

Elizabeth K. Boyesen wrote to Sam inviting him to dine with them on his next visit to New York [MTP].

January 19 Saturday – Mrs. T.C. Sylvis wrote from Olathe, Kansas to Sam. “I have just received your incomprehensible letter, in reply to mine [not extant], asking you for a souvenir. I am almost heart broken — I cannot believe that you would poke fun at me, by addressing me as ‘my dear baroness.’” [MTP].

Webster & Co. wrote to Sam: “We enclose herewith as requested duplicates of the Daily Report both of the Subscription Department and the Book-keeping Department” [MTP].