August 23 Monday – Samuel Rutherford Crockett (1860-1914) wrote to Sam.

“I’ve got some boys I’d like to send you, if I might. I think Tom and Huck would like to know them. One of them is called ‘Cleg Kelly.’ Hully Gee, what a scrap there’d a been if Tom and Cleg had met” [Gribben 165; MTP].

Note: He added that he would be in London “all the autumn after the 21st Sept, and I hang out at Morley’s Hotel.” Crockett was a Scottish minister who became a prolific novelist, though only one of Crockett’s works is listed in Gribben ( p.165). His 1914 obituary in the NY Times claimed 53 works from his pen for the 53 years of his life, including his successful story, The Stickit Minister, which was followed by his series of popular novels which were based on the history of Scotland or his native Galloway. On Aug. 5, 1897 Vanity Fair ran a caricature of Crockett. Sam replied on Sept. 17.