January 1 Thursday – Sam wrote after midnight from London To Livy. Sam the romantic waxed eloquent in his love and missing his wife.

“I am wild to see you. So I mean to go away every now & then, just to renew that feeling—but never more than 48 hours.”

At 11:30 AM Sam mentioned the “tremendous procession” of horseguards passing. He added to the note to send Livy an address of Fidele Brooks’ friends in Streatham, the Jacoxes [MTL 6: 1].

Sam also wrote to George H. Fitzgibbon wishing him and his family a successful New Year, and sending regrets he could not dine with him. Sam was booked every day until he left London, Jan. 7. He offered an invitation for Fitz to come visit him and Livy in Hartford [MTL 6: 2].

Sam and George Dolby traveled to Tom Taylor’s as planned. They found only Taylor’s wife at home [MTL 5: 541 & 542n1].

Geer & Pond, Hartford booksellers, billed Sam for the periodical, The Independent, for the period from Nov. 1, 1873 to Jan. 1, 1874 [Gribben 343].