March 8 Sunday – In Hartford Sam responded to Miss Clement’s question about his surname:

March 7 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote a letter to G.& C. Merriam & Co., praising the dictionary, which he called “the most awe-inspiring of all books.” He thanked the company [MTP].

Sam also wrote to an unidentified woman:

I am very slow, but correspondingly sure. The books are sent to you, & with pleasure [MTP].

March 6 Friday – Howard Lockwood of Lockwood & Co. wrote to Sam, having received his Mar. 5 letter to discontinue subscription to The American Bookmaker. He offered an additional incentive in the form of the American Dictionary of Printing and Bookmaking, which they were about to issue quarterly.

March 5 Thursday –Sam wrote to Howard Lockwood to discontinue his subscription to The American Bookmaker, letter not extant but referred to in Lockwood’s Mar. 6 response. He also placed an order with the New England Phonograph Co., also not extant but referred to in Sampson’s Mar. 6 response [MTP].

March 4 Wednesday – Frederick J. Hall wrote a short note to Sam enclosing a debt-note “to cover the one just taken up.” Hall reported a rush on the Sherman book and a good outlook for sales of it; he also expected a mockup of Sam’s memory game this day [MTP].

March 3 Tuesday – In Boston William Dean Howells typed a letter on a Hammond machine to Sam:

March 2 Monday – William Hamersley sent Sam a printed postcard announcing a meeting of the stockholders of The Farnham Type-setter Manufacturing Co. at the office of James W.Paige at 12 o’clock M., March 6, 1891. The stated purpose of the meeting was to examine the plans for the manufacture of the Paige Compositor [MTP]. Note: At midnight!

March 1 Sunday – James D. Phelan, president of the Bohemian Club, San Francisco sent Sam a souvenir program of their “Xmas Truth.” Since Sam was an honorary member, Phelan announced Sam was welcome at the “forthcoming festival” on Apr. 1, 1892 to celebrate the club’s 20th anniv. [MTP].

March – † Sometime during the month an unidentified person wrote asking where Mark Twain got his material from for his books. The following has been taken from Paine, corrections to the original TS in the MTP have been added or made, including the phrase “& superficially” attributed to Bret Harte’s knowledge of mines, which Paine removed to sanitize Twain’s persona. This piece affords a remarkable view into Sam’s taking stock right after the dreams of monumental wealth were dashed.

February 28 Saturday – In Hartford Sam wrote to William Dean Howells asking a favor. Sam was interested in using a phonograph to dictate his new book, The American Claimant.