November 27 Sunday – In N.Y.C. Sam inscribed Hillcrest Edition sets of his books to daughters Clara and Jean. Only two volumes to Jean are given by MTP. The set to Clara was sold by Sotheby’s auction, Apr. 13, 2004, Lot 27, for $96,000. Like the two sets with aphorisms given on Oct. 29, 1904 to William R. Coe and William F. Benjamin (H.H. Rogers’ son-in-laws), Sam used mostly maxims from FE, “Puddn’head Wilson’s New Calendar” (in Clara’s set, nineteen of 23 aphorisms were from FE) [MTP].

Sam also inscribed a copy of IA to Katy Leary: “To / Katy Leary / who has been a member of my household a quarter of a century & was present at the birth of nearly all these books— /With the affectionate / regards of / The Author. / November 27, 1904” [MTP]. Note: Sam’s reference to “nearly all these books” suggests he also inscribed a full Hillcrest set to Katy, the other volumes not extant.