March 31 Tuesday – Sam spoke at the Tile Club Dinner for Laurence Hutton in New York City—the title of his talk “On Speech-Making Reform” [Fatout, MT Speaking 190-3]. Note: Fatout says this speech is conjectural for this date.

Sam inscribed a copy of HF to Mary Mason Fairbanks: “To / Mother Fairbanks / with the love of her eldest, / The Author. /~ /March 31, 1885” [MTP].

Sam also wrote from New York City to Brander Matthews, literary critic, essayist and dramatist, who invited him to some gathering. Sam replied in a friendly way that he had a “whole raft of business” and people with appointments “to get themselves swindled” [MTP]. Note: Matthews was a writer, critic, and educator, the first U.S. professor of dramatic literature and among founders of the Author’s Club and the Players’ Club, both of New York.