January 28 Tuesday – Sam wrote a public plea for charity to the Hartford Evening Post. The letter was an advertisement for his lecture to be given on Jan. 31 in Allyn Hall for the benefit of “Father” David Hawley (1809-1876), who worked tirelessly for the Hartford poor [MTL 5: 287]. The Hartford Courant and the Hartford Times both reprinted the letter on Jan. 29. In his Nov. 21, 1906 A.D., Clemens described Hawley and his place in Hartford hearts:

A Mr. Hawley was the city missionary—a man with a big generous heart, a charitable heart; a man whose pity went spontaneously out to all that suffer, and who labored in behalf of the poor, the forsaken, the forlorn, and the helpless, with an eager and tireless zeal not matchable among men….He was not a clergyman, nor an officer in any church; he was merely a plain, ordinary Christian; but he was so beloved—not to say worshipped—by all ranks and conditions of his fellow-citizens that he was called “Father” by common consent. It was a title of affection, and also of esteem and admiration; and his character and conduct conferred a new grace and dignity upon that appellation [MTA 2: 281].

Vernon Seaman wrote to Sam on the Jan. 19 letter from Mrs. Minnie L. Wakeman-Curtis.

Dear “Mark Twain.” / The enclosed, or rather this sheet, has just reached me, from Mrs. Wakeman, which she requests me to forward to you, as she does not know your address. — Pour souls, they have had more than their share of troubles, & you have the proud satisfaction of knowing that you have done much to alleviate them. —…Yours Very Truly… [MTP]. Note: Wakeman’s daughter sent her and her father’s gratitude.