November 23 Friday – Sam dated several story and book ideas in his notebook, including one “in which the telephone plays a principal part (the germ of the story “The Loves of Alonzo Fitz Clarence and Rosannah Ethelton” published in the Atlantic for Mar. 1878). He wrote notes for Prince and the Pauper, which he’d worked on in the summer of 1877. Also noted were several ideas in a single line that would lead to future works, such as “Leathers, Earl of Dunham”—a distant relative’s delusions of grandeur as the basis for American Claimant [MTNJ 2: 49-51].

Livy’s visitor book was signed by Frank Hall, J.D. Slee, and Olivia Langdon “The Mother” [MTP]. Note: Hall was the American reporter who in Aug. 1867 wrote about the public burial ground at Naples, Italy which Sam noted was “damnable” [MTNJ 1: 385n10].

In Cambridge, Mass., Howells wrote Sam a short note that he and Winny [his daughter] expected,

“To be with you in the evening of Dec. 11. We should like to stay till the morning of the 13th, if it doesn’t seem too hard on you” [MTHL 1: 209].

Andrew Chatto wrote to Sam: “I have much pleasure in enclosing cheque for 15£ for the 3rd & 4th instalments of your ‘Random Notes’ ” [MTP].