April 3 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote an aphorism to John Bellows in Gloucester, England: “I would rather tell seven lies than make one explanation” [Sotheby’s catalog at MTP].

From George W. Cable’s letter to his wife:

Dear old Mark Twain sends kindest word to all of you, beginning, of course, with Nellie.

      We have had a beautiful day today. I ventured over to M.T.’s house without my overcoat & felt comfortable; but on starting away from his house he cried out at the idea of no overcoat.

      I said, “The air is full of a soft, warm glow.”

      “Soft, warm glow! It’s full of the devil!—the devil of pneumonia! That’s what it’s full of!” and so I had to wear one of his overcoats back to Warner’s.

      Here’s another characteristic speech: “Yes, sir, my poor wife must get sick, & have a pulse that ran up to—150 in the shade!”

      He began to d—n Roswell Smith (whom he likes very well, I believe). I said I don’t allow my friends to abuse each other. “Yes, that’s all right; I know it. That’s the reason I forbear as I do. You see how mild my abuse is compared to what it would be if you were not here.”

      He strode up & down the room holding his headachy forehead & brandishing his arms, scolding over the various miscarriages of our schemes concerning the reading.

      I said, “I didn’t come over here to torment you before your time.” He answered—

      “Oh, you’re not tormenting me; only give me room to swear!” But he did not swear—much [Bickle 96].

George MacDonald wrote from Bordighera, Italy, thanking him for his refusal to collaborate and seeing it “in its true light—as at least more than doubtful.” He reflected a sincere faith in God [MTP].

George B. Smith, Jr. wrote from the National Soldier’s Home in Togus, Me. Unfortunately the letter has faded to the point of being nearly unreadable [MTP].