January 8 Friday – Richard Watson Gilder for Century Magazine wrote to Sam enclosing two letters objecting to Sam’s recent Century contributions. Gilder challenged Sam:

While Christmas still lingers in your memory, write new for the Century (to be used next year) a Christmas story or sketch which will be so human, so beautiful, as to melt the hearts even of the Philistines. [MTP]. Note: Gilder’s replies to the irritated readers granted Sam could be “coarse” but he defended the value of his sketches, “of decided force and worth,” and that Mark Twain “believes in the best things.”