December 28 Monday – Sam typed a note from Hartford to James Redpath.

NO, THANKS! MY DISLIKE OF THE PLATFORM HAS GROWN TO SUCH PROPORTIONS THAT I BELIEVE I AM AT LAST ONE OF THOSE IMPOSSIBILITIES WHICH NASBY DENIES THE EXISTENCE OF – – – A REFORMED LECTURER.

Sam was replying to a request to lecture once in New York at the conclusion of his play. He was “surprised” that he was growing proficient on the use of the typewriter and could “write about as fast with this machine as I can with a pen, & make more mistakes, too” [MTL 6: 333].