September 21 Saturday – The London Spectator published Sam’s letter of Sept. 20 about Hotten. In the evening, Sam gave a dinner speech at the Savage Club [Published in Fatout, MT Speaking 69-71]. The Club was a private club for authors, journalists and artists, founded in 1857 by a half-dozen writers of plays who dined together every week in an old Convent Garden inn. One night someone brought Artemus Ward; afterward membership soared. The chairman of this evening was John L. Toole, a popular English comic actor (1830-1906) [MTL 5: 175n1; The Twainian, Sept-Oct 1953 p4]. See insert photo of Toole.

In his Sept. 22 letter, Sam wrote he’d met Mrs. George Turner & Nellie “on the stairs yesterday—wasn’t expecting to see them here.” Sam had known the Turners from his Nevada days, when Turner was chief justice of the territory [MTL 5: 169-70].

While Sam was away the family had to eat. A bill was paid to Flower & Hills, Hartford grocers, for purchases/deliveries made: Sept. 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 18, 14 & 16, for a long list of items, incl. melons, tomatoes, peaches, beans, butter, soda, eggs, oil, coffee, crackers. $25.10 [MTP].