November 23 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Orion, thanking him for hickory nuts sent and announcing he’d ordered the Library of American Literature sent to him and also Samuel Moffett as the Clemens family’s Christmas presents. Orion had failed to purchase a house he and Mollie had wanted, and Sam sent advice:

I am sorry you gave up one house before being sure of another. But I am glad the purchase failed — because I am superstitious. The sailor says, “Don’t change your shirt in a storm” — that is, don’t anticipate; don’t trust the signs that the storm is ceasing — wait till it has ceased.

Sam also included more hopes that the Paige typesetter was “apparently almost done” [MTP].

Sam also wrote to an unidentified man who had asked for a list of his books. Sam complied, by memory, as “there are not so many of them but that I can recall their names…” [MTP].

Frederick J. Hall for Webster & Co. wrote to Sam about who should go to Canada to register the Sheridan book [MTP].

Sometimes the relatively minor things that happen, seemingly randomly, in a person’s life, can mark a turning point. But, even when they don’t they can reflect the mystery of instant fascination, as this brief episode written this day in Sam’s notebook provides:

Nov. 23, ’88. At noon, was coming up a back street; 2 poorly dressed girls, one about 10 the other 12 or 13 years old, were just behind me; was attracted to the musical voice of the elder one, & slowed down my gait to listen; by & by the younger said, “Yonder they are?” “Where?” “Way down the street — don’t you see?” The elder threw back her head & gushed out a liquid “Hoo-oo-oo-ooh!” — the most melodious note that ever issued from human lips, it seemed to me. Nothing has equaled it, in my hearing, but the rich note of the wood-thrush. I resolved to track that child home — & did. She entered a poor frame dwelling next to & north of a frame building that had a sign “Sigourney Tool Company” on its front. Then I followed the younger girl home; at least to a house in John Hooker’s grounds. So I shall be able to find one or the other, by & by. I mean to educate that girl’s voice. She’ll make a stir in the world, sure [MTNJ 3: 434] Note: This is pure, pre-angelfish attraction and sentiment, perhaps caused by an underlying yearning for the idyllic aspects of his youth, and the image of Becky Thatcher and Laura Wright. At least that’s one take on the incident.