November 25 Saturday – The London Leisure Hour ran reprints from the St. Louis Republican and a story of how Sam took the name Mark Twain—this one relates him writing a sketch about Captain Isaiah Sellers, then asking “John Morris, now steward of the Belle Memphis,” what name he should sign to it. When the leadsman called out “Mark Twain,” it supposedly decided the issue [Tenney 4].
November 1871: Day By Day
November 27 Monday – Livy’s 26th birthday.
Sam lectured in Bennington, Vermont – “Artemus Ward.” Afterward, Sam wrote to Livy:
November 28 Tuesday – Sam lectured in Tweddle Hall, Albany, New York – “Artemus Ward.” Sam wrote from Albany to George L. Fall, scheduler for the Boston Lyceum Bureau.
November 29 Wednesday – Sam lectured in Opera House, Newark, New Jersey – “Artemus Ward.”
On this day or the next, Sam wrote from Newark, N.J. to Redpath & Fall. “Well, Troy had telegraphed for Feb. 8. We telegraphed you. You answered with a ‘word with a bark to it—No’ ” [MTL 4: 503; paraphrased]. Note: see source n1 for a full explanation.
November 30 Thursday – Sam’s 36th birthday.