March 12 Sunday – The Clemenses entertained William Dean Howells and son John. In a letter to his father, Howells described his son’s reaction to the Clemens’ home:

I took John with me, and as his mother had prepared his mind for the splendors of the Twain mansion, he came to everything with the most exalted fairy-palace expectations. He found some red soap in the bathroom. “Why, they’ve even got their soap painted!” says he; and the next morning [Mar. 12] when he found the black serving-man getting ready for breakfast, he came and woke me. “Better get up, papa. The slave is setting the table.” I suppose he thought Clemens could have that darkey’s head off whenever he liked. He was delightful through the whole visit [MTHL 1: 127n2].