January 13 Thursday – Miss C.C. Ranstead for the New York Infant Asylum wrote to ask Sam for a testimonial for Maria McLaughlin who had been a wet-nurse for one of the Clemens children. “She represents herself as a deserted wife and is here waiting for her confinement. / A paper of fine-cut tobacco was found in her pocket and a bottle of liquor in [word torn away]. The managers of this institution are ready to dismiss her, but I begged them to wait a little” [MTP]. Note See Mar. 16, 1875 entry for Twain’s humorous account of Maria.