November 27 Saturday – Olivia Louise Langdon’s 24th birthday, her last as a single woman. Sam wrote her a short note from Boston: “Had a big house last night, as usual. Didn’t make a brilliant success otherwise, though.” The town has not been identified [MTL 3: 410].
November 28 Sunday – Sam wrote from Boston to Livy about her 24th and his 34th birthday:
“I have kept the day alone, my darling—we will keep it together hereafter, God willing. My own birthday comes Tuesday, & I must keep that alone also, but it don’t matter—I’ve had had considerable practice in that” [MTL 3: 413].
November 29 Monday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in the Congregational Church, Newtonville, Mass. Though Sam did not like lecturing in churches as he felt it more difficult for the audience to laugh, the Newton Journal however, reported that Sam “elicited shouts of laughter” [MTL 3: 414n2].
Sam wrote from Boston to Livy, sending his schedule [MTL 3: 415].
November 30 Tuesday – Sam’s 34th birthday. He lectured (“Savages”) in Thompsonville, Conn.
James Redpath wrote to advise Sam that Mr. Alfred Reed extended his hospitality for the stop in Trenton, and had increased the fee to $100 [MTP].
December – William Dean Howells published a very positive review of IA in the Atlantic Monthly:
“It is no business of ours to fix his rank among the humorists California has given us, but we think he is, in an entirely different way from all the others, quite worthy of the company of the best.”
December 1 Wednesday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) for Brooklyn Library Society, at the Bedford Avenue Reformed Church, Brooklyn, New York. Sam’s lecture schedule allowed him to spend most of Dec. 1 to 6 with Livy in New York City [MTL 3: 428n1].
December 3 Friday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Collingwood’s Opera House, Poughkeepsie, New York.
Sam wrote from Brooklyn, New York to the editor of the Brooklyn Eagle, that a “misunderstanding” had resulted in canceling his second Brooklyn lecture [MTL 3: 417].
“The Richardson Murder,” an unsigned article attributed to Sam, was printed in the Buffalo Express [McCullough 101].
December 4 Saturday – Sam telegraphed from New York to James Redpath about the “infernal mite society, a pure charity speculation” and the mix-up for the second Brooklyn lecture [MTL 3: 418]. Note: this in reply to the following Redpath telegram sent to the home of Henry and Fidele Brooks:
“Please see Miss Wason, Brooklyn.
December 6 Monday – Sam’s article “MARK TWAIN’S IDEA OF A GOOD LETTER” was reprinted in the Grass Valley, California, Daily National. Sam’s niece, Annie Moffett’s letter was the object of Sam’s admiration [Fatout, MT Speaks 58-9].
William F. West, Horatio C. King & Lorin Palmer wrote:
Dear Sir,
December 7 Tuesday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Academy of Music, Philadelphia, Pa. [MTL 3: 414n1].
George L. Fall, partner of James Redpath, wrote to Sam with upcoming lecture details [MTP].
December 8 Wednesday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Lincoln Hall, Washington, D. C. [MTL 3: 415].
December 9 Thursday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Germantown, Pa. [MTL 3: 415].
December 10 Friday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Mount Vernon, New York [MTL 3: 415].
December 11 Saturday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Town Hall, West Meriden, Conn. [MTL 3: 415].
“Around the World Letter No. 4” was printed in the Buffalo Express. The article included humorous sketches on the early days in California [McCullough 108].
December 13 Monday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Union Hall, New Britain, Conn. [MTL 3: 415].
December 14 Tuesday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Warren, Mass. [MTL 3: 415].
December 15 Wednesday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Armory Hall, Pawtucket, R.I. [MTL 3: 415].
He wrote a short note from Boston to his mother and family about his lecturing, Livy’s trousseau, which Jervis Langdon called her “trowsers,” and his contracting a cold; he was feeling too low to answer Pamela’s letter [MTL 3: 425].
December 16 Thursday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) at Rumford Institute, Waltham, Mass. [MTL 3: 415]. See Oct. 8.
December 17 Friday – Sam wrote from Boston to his sister, Pamela Moffett. Sam was “killed up with a cold, & shall not lecture to-night—so there goes a few weeks board.” The canceled lecture was for Abington, Mass. Sam related that Livy’s “heart is thoroughly set upon” Pamela and Annie coming for the wedding.
December 18 and 19 Sunday – The lecture planned for Lynn, Mass. was also canceled due to Sam’s cold [MTL 3: 485n16]. Sam wrote from Boston to Livy about Joe Goodman coming to Elmira for the wedding and other matters. Sam went with Joseph R. Hawley to a dinner in honor of Francis W.
December 20 Monday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Canton, Mass. [MTL 3: 415].
December 21 Tuesday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Hudson, Mass. [MTL 3: 415].
Sam wrote from Boston to Livy.
December 22 Wednesday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Mercantile Library, Portland, Maine [MTL 3: 415].
Letters Sam wrote to Livy on Dec. 21 and 22 (letter numbers 161-2) are lost [MTL 3: 437-8n1].
December 23 Thursday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in Town Hall, Rockport, Mass. [MTL 3: 415].
December 24 Friday – Sam lectured (“Savages”) in New Hall, Slatersville, Rhode Island. Sam had been scheduled to lecture in Salem on this Christmas Eve, but changed to Slatersville to fill in for his sick friend, Josh Billings [MTL 3: 438n3].