March 16 Friday – Snowbound by the blizzard, at New York’s Murray Hill Hotel, Sam wrote to Livy. Due to the storm she had not been able to join him for the trip to Washington. He’d come to New York early to attend a dinner party at Charles A. Dana’s, editor of the New York Sun. In this letter home, Sam blamed that engagement for being stuck in New York:

Blast that basted dinner party at Dana’s! But for that, I — ah, well, I’m tired; tired calling myself names. Why, I could have been at home all this time. Whereas, here I have been Crusoing on a desert hotel — out of wife, out of children, out of linen, out of cigars, out of every blamed thing in the word that I’ve any use for. Great Scott!! [LLMT 249-51].

It had been two days since the blizzard, and still no Livy. Sam’s letter mentioned trying to get “one more word” to her, “by long-distance telephone or somehow,” and that prior attempts during the storm had failed. His plan had been to wait for her until Monday, Mar. 19, but Sam decided to give her up.

So I will go to Washington this afternoon in the special car with the rest of the menagerie, & be rested-up & fresh for Mrs. Hawley’s dinner to-morrow night [MTP].

Sam then went to Washington, D.C., a six-hour trip by train. Sam checked into the Arlington Hotel, T.E. Roessle, manager [MTNJ 3: 381n271].

Richard W. Gilder for Century Magazine wrote to Sam advising him he had a “very kind letter from the President” (Cleveland) confirming a White House reception for authors after the readings [MTP].