November 19 Friday – In Boston prior to his lecture, Sam wrote to Mary Mason Fairbanks.

My Dear Mother— / Why mercy! were you expecting me? Do you know, I just thought you would be looking for me—but bless you, I couldn’t help it. If it were only Livy’s fault—but there isn’t anybody to saddle it on—I guess it was my distress about those Railways—which is funny, because formerly I would just as soon have been smashed up on one of those railroads as any other way. But my life has grown very precious—to Livy. Well, I’m coming right along, now, in the spring—I am indeed, & I shall bring my wife. Then you can scold us both, & all of us will enjoy it the more [MTL 3: 398].

He also sent Livy his photograph, taken by James Wallace Black (see MTL 3: 399) with a note on the back:

Boston, 19th—Livy dear, I believe I am to talk in one corner of Brooklyn Dec. 1, & repeat in Plymouth Church Dec. 4. Have a call from New York for Dec. 3, but don’t know yet whether we shall take it or not. I am indifferent—just as soon not.2 I have no paper up here, & in a few minutes I start out to talk in the a suburban city (Jamaica Plains.) It is now 6 P.M—lecture begins at 7.45.

Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Town Hall, Jamaica Plain, Mass. [MTPO].