December 11 Friday – In Cambridge, Mass., William Dean Howells wrote:

“Don’t you dare to refuse that invitation to the Atlantic dinner for Tuesday evening. For fear you mayn’t have got it, I’ll just say that it was from the publishers, and asked you to meet Emerson, Aldrich, and all ‘those boys’ at the Parker House at 6 o’clock, Tuesday, Dec. 14. Come! ” [MTHL 1: 51].

In Hartford Sam wrote to H.O. Houghton & Co., accepting the invitation to the Atlantic Monthly contributors’ dinner on Dec. 15.

He also wrote to Howells, advising him that he’d be at the dinner on Dec. 15 and that his wife would not come because her mother would arrive that day. Livy had been helping Sam edit the Atlantic pilot articles [MTL 6: 313].

Robert Green Ingersoll wrote from Washington, D.C. to send Clemens “a correct copy of the speech” and “a couple of other pieces.” He professed admiration for Twain [Vassar].