November 14 Sunday – The Brooklyn Eagle, page 7, ran an unfavorable review of Humorous Masterpieces, edited by Edward F. Mason, a three-volume work issued by G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

In the first place, a majority of the pieces published…are by no means entitled to be termed “masterpieces,” and a good many of them, except by a great stretch of the imagination, cannot be classed as humorous.” ….In the case of Mark Twain, however, he [Mason] has made no mistake for he is represented by “The Jumping Frog,” one of the most humorous pieces ever written.

J.W. Schuckers wrote from Newark, N.J. that he could go to Hartford “any day that you may fix,” but would need to hear the day before as even a telegram would not arrive in time for him to get into Grand Central Station before 11 a.m. “If I am not greatly mistaken I had some slight acquaintance with you nearly 30 years ago, when I was doing ‘local’ business on the Cleveland Leader, and Browne was on the Plain Dealer. If I am right in this I shall be glad to meet you for a double reason” [MTP].