June 2 Saturday – Sam’s notebook entry lists check # 4145 for $6 to the Norwood House, a New York apartment built in 1847.

Mary Fairchild (age 23) daughter of General Lucius Fairchild wrote to Sam enclosing a program, and a clipping about the production of his play Die Meisterschaft by the German Conversation Club of Madison, Wisc.

In a college town such as Madison your play has been more than appreciated. Its points have been fully understood and every new sally of the different characters into German was greeted with shouts of laughter. Indeed the play was such a success that we are planning to repeat it for the benefit of a Benevolent Society [Rees 9;MTP]. Note: Sam responded on Oct. 1, 1888, which suggests Mary’s letter may have been left in Hartford for the summer, or was lost for a time, as Sam usually answered chosen letters promptly.

The New York Dramatic Mirror reviewed Kitty Rhoades’ performance in Reading, Penn. of an unauthorized Tom Sawyer play. Sam had withheld permission to Rhoades’ agent, W.R. Ward in his Sept. 8, 1887 letter.

Miss Rhoades as Tom Sawyer was a favorite and was frequently called before the curtain.

Note: Norton writes,

“That knowledge of such use of the material could have escaped Twain’s attention is difficult to believe, but nothing indicates he knew anything about these presentations; or, if he knew, that he did anything about them. Neither did he know about several more adaptations by others” [122].

H.S. Pratt & Co., Chilson’s Celebrated Cone Furnaces, Hartford, billed & receipted for “4 tin boxes .55, 2.20” [MTP].