April 1 Thursday – Sam and Livy wrote from Hartford to William Dean Howells. Sam wrote a laundry list of Orion’s attempts at finding an editorial position, placing his manuscript which was an attack on Christianity, his ideas to travel to Colorado and speculate on silver mines, to set up a New York correspondence bureau—all these things being only half the list Sam received. Livy added thanks for the review of Tramp (which would appear in the May Atlantic), and expressed their desire to see the Howells for a visit in Hartford [MTLE 5: 60].

On or about this day Sam wrote another letter to David Watt Bowser (“Wattie”), enclosing a note from Howells for the boy’s autograph collection [61].