November 26 Friday – Sam had heard from Edward H. House that both he and Koto were ill. Sam sent a letter of condolence, adding that to be “homeless at the same time — it is simply hell.” House had requested that Sam be the executor of his will, but this was an obligation Sam didn’t feel comfortable with, so he recommended his business agent, Franklin G. Whitmore. Beyond this, Sam made no direct offer of help, which suggests he may have had reservations about doing so [MTP].

The Hartford Courant reported on p.1 under “New York City” that Miss Dora Wheeler, “would soon visit Hartford as the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel L. Clemens. She is to paint the portrait of Mr. Clemens during her stay.”

News of Sam’s Nov. 11 Governor’s Island reading of a piece on King Arthur’s court ran on p.14 of the London Pall Mall Gazette.

Thomas Ewing N.Y. lawyer with Ewing & Southard wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore desiring consultation with his client, J.W. Schuckers, who had called on him this day with Whitmore’s Nov. 23 letter [MTP]. See Nov. 12 for Schukers’ information.

Orion and Mollie Clemens letter of Nov. 25 bears a Nov. 26 PS written at the top: “Aunt Pamelia Hancock was buried day before yesterday — aged 68” [MTP].

Genealogy note: Pamelia (Goggin) Clemens (1775-1844) was married first to Samuel Clemens (d. 1805) and, after his death, to Simon Hancock of Adair County, Kentucky. Her son by her first marriage, John Marshall Clemens (1798-1847), was the father of American author Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain). Her children by her second marriage were: Ann Hill Hancock, Mary G. Hancock, Pamelia G. Hancock, and a son whose name is unknown. Thus, Aunt Pamelia was Sam’s half-aunt.