March 23 Monday – Sam and Livy went to Boston for a short visit with the Howellses [MTHL 2: 522-3]. Sam and Howells joined in the fun at the Tavern Club.

March 22 Sunday – Sam probably returned to Hartford as planned (see Mar. 16 to Pond) but there is no documentation. However, since Sam and Livy traveled to Boston on Mar. 23, this is the last date Sam could have returned home.

March 21 Saturday – Sam and Cable gave a reading in Steinway Hall, N.Y. Clemens included: “A Dazzling Achievement,” “Tragic Tale of the Fishwife,” “Incorporated Company of Mean Men,” and “The Bluejay’s Mistake” [MTPO].

Sam telegraphed from New York City to Livy:

“Gerhardt worked three hours in General Grants presence yesterday with excellent results” [MTP].

March 20 Friday – Sam went to New York City for the weekend and stayed at the Everett House [Mar. 14 to Pond; Mar.

March 19 Thursday – Susy Clemens’ thirteenth birthday.

 Howells wrote again on Mar. 19 and changed the date for the Tavern Club gathering to Monday, Mar. 23 [MTHL 2: 523]. He also invited Thomas Bailey Aldrich [524n1].

March 18 Wednesday – In Hartford, Sam wrote to Robert Underwood Johnson, editor of Century Magazine, who had written asking if Sam wanted to contribute to the upcoming “Battles and Leaders of the Civil War” series.

March 17 Tuesday – In Hartford, Sam inscribed a copy of Huckleberry Finn to Margaret Warner, daughter of George Warner: “To / Margaret Warner / with the love of / The Author / Hartford March 17, 1885” [MTP].

The banning of Huck Finn by the Concord Public Library brought this article from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, which quoted library board members, one of whom said:

March 16 Monday – The Concord, Mass. Public Library banned Huck Finn from its shelves (see Sam’s Mar. 18 to Webster). The Boston Globe reported the event on the following day.

Sam inscribed a copy of Huckleberry Finn to Edwin P. Parker: “To / Rev E.P. Parker / with the warmest / regards of / The Author. / Hartford, March 16, 1885” [MTP].

March 15 Sunday – The Sunday San Francisco Chronicle loved Huck Finn:

Anyone who has ever lived in the Southwest, or who has visited that section, will recognize the truth of all these sketches and the art with which they are brought into this story [Perry 144-5].

March 14 Saturday – In New York City, Sam autographed a banquet invitation at Delmonico’s to British actor Henry Irving. About this day Sam presented the proofs of volume one of Grant’s Memoirs to the General for his approval [Perry 166]. Note: Sam may have been in New York between this day and Mar. 20, since Perry puts this presentation of proofs as the “third week in March.”