November 4 Thursday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Howells that they’d had a “royal good time” on their visit. Sam related how once back in Hartford, he’d “caught it” from Livy, for several social faux pas, including “personating that drunken Col. James,” (unidentified.) Sam claimed Livy ran into George, the butler, in the hall and took it out on him [MTL 6: 581]. (For a sketch of George Griffin from the 1906 “A Family Sketch,” see MTL 6: 583.)

Oliver W. Holmes wrote his thanks for the copy of Sketches, claiming the old saw about laughing and growing fat had gained him several pounds since he began to read the book [MTL 6: 580].