December 20 Tuesday – In Buffalo, Sam telegraphed, then wrote from Buffalo to Elisha Bliss. The telegraph:

“Contract approved signed and mailed to you. / Sam L. Clemens”

The letter:

“Have just read over, approved & signed that contract, [for the S. African book] & it will go to you tonight.

“Riley is my man—did I introduce him to you in New York? He sails Jan. 4 for Africa. Just read about him in my Galaxy Memoranda for a month or two ago…” [MTL 4: 276; telegraph given at MTP drop-in letters].

Sam also wrote to Albert Francis Judd, son of Hawaiian missionary and statesman, who would become attorney general of Hawaii in 1873. Sam responded to Judd’s letter and announced the success of Innocents Abroad, his plans for two more books that size and other miscellaneous subjects [MTL 4: 278].