February 29, 1896 Saturday

February 29 Saturday – At 10 p.m. the Clemens party left Agra and traveled 140 miles to Jaipur. Sam’s notebook:

Feb. 29. Mr. Achlom [Aklom] & wife & 2 dau; they live in Ajmir

At noon, gave Mouza a note to carry to Smythe & bring an answer, & told him he could consider himself discharged at 7 this evening. He laid his fingers against his forehead as usual, made the usual inclination, said “wair good” (very good), just as he always does when receiving an order, — & that was all. It was pathetic….

February 28, 1896 Friday

February 28 Friday – At 5:30 p.m. in Agra, Metcalfe Hall, Sam gave his “At Home” lecture to another full hall. Sam noted the lecture ran an hour and 35 minutes. Sam’s notebook:

Mouza was drunk again last night; 2d time in 2 weeks. At midnight was sleeping on the marble steps of the great portico, with his head on the bare flags….

Lectured: Corpse, Plug, Poem, Smpox, German, Xning — 1 hr 35 m.

February 27, 1896 Thursday

February 27 Thursday – The Clemens family left Kanpur and traveled 45 miles to Agra, staying at the Government House occupied by Colonel P.L. Loch [Ahluwalia 17; Livy to Crane Feb. 28]. Sam’s notebook:

Agra. Feb. 27. Visited the microbes of Mr. Henkin. Has proved that no cholera microbes in the Ganges & the Jumna…/ Guests of Lt. Col. P.L. Loch, Political Agent [NB 36 TS 52-3].

February 26, 1896 Wednesday

February 26 Wednesday – In Kanpur, India the Clemens party was the guests of Lt. Col. P. Baddeley and visited more sites connected with the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Sam accepted an invitation, expecting to be in Meerut on Mar. 3 [Ahluwalia 17].

Sam wrote in Kanpur to an unidentified man:

My wife & daughter & I thank you very much for your kind invitation, & are very glad to accept it.

February 23, 1896 Sunday

February 23 Sunday – Sam’s notebook in Lucknow:

Drove with Major and Mrs. Aylmer (16th Lancers) & Capt. & Mrs. Dallas, in the regimental drag (4 horses) over the whole of Colin Campbell’s March, & also out to the Imam Bara….[NB 36 TS 50-1].

February 22, 1896 Saturday

February 22 SaturdayLucknow, India. Sam was “all over” the Residency ruins with “young” Stirling. Sam gave his No. 1 “At Home” lecture at the Mahomed Bagh Club at 9:30 p.m. The Allahabad Pioneer of Feb. 28 reported “the house being crowded, and the great humorist’s lecture was received with hearty applause from start to finish” [Ahwaluia 17].

February 21, 1896 Friday

February 21 Friday – The Clemens party left Benares for Lucknow, some 261 miles. Sam’s notebook:

Feb. 21. Left for Lucknow about 1 p.m., hot as the nation, the flat plains the color of pale dust, & the dust flying. Tiffin [lunch] at 2, at Jawnpur City. No doubt all those native grayheads remember the Mutiny [NB 36 TS 49-50].

Parson writes,

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