On 4 December Clemens lectured on Artemus Ward in Geneva to “a good house—good in numbers, and appreciative in character,” but the Geneva Gazette was unimpressed, noting that he appeared “very—tired, some might denominate it even less complimentarily” (“‘Mark Twain’ was favored . . . ,” 8 Dec 71, 3).

James P. Foster had an equally positive impression of Clemens, whom he described in a letter signed “J. P. F.,” in the Syracuse Journal of 6 December:

Waterloo: A Sequel to The Conscript of 1813, an English translation of a historical novel by Émile Erckmann and Alexandre Chatrian (New York: Charles Scribner and Co., 1869). On 7 January 1872 Olivia reported that she had still not received the book from Foster (CU-MARK).

Foster was three or four years older than Clemens. He had much in common with Joseph H. Twichell, a fellow clergyman, family man, and Civil War veteran. Foster had risen to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the 128th New York Infantry. Twichell had served from 1861 to 1864 as chaplain of an infantry regiment in the 71st New York Volunteers (Heitman, 2:101; Strong, 20–37).

The two women had not approached Clemens “last night,” but rather on 2 December, after his lecture in Homer. Mary E. Bacon (b. 1842?) was the only daughter of Catherine Lakenan Bacon (b. 1817) and George Bacon (1809–74), Hannibal’s leading wholesale grocer; her married name is unknown. Mildred Catherine (Kitty) Shoot (b. 1840?), was one of the daughters of Mary Pavey Shoot (b. 1822?) and William Shoot (1809–92), the proprietor of Hannibal’s finest hotel and co-owner of a livery stable. She had married Charles P. Heywood (1833–1909), the paymaster of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad and later a United States revenue collector, in 1858 ( Inds , 347–48; Holcombe, 908, 954–55; Portrait , 279–80; Hannibal Census, 307; Mildred C. Heywood to SLC, 15 Jan 1910, CU-MARK).

Here Clemens began replying to the following letter, which Olivia had sent to Geneva (CU-MARK):

Clemens’s attempt to consult with Dr. Cincinnatus A. Taft, doubtless about Olivia’s pregnancy, occurred at the end of his 18–20 November visit to Hartford, apparently while Patrick McAleer was driving him to the railroad station (15 Nov 71 to OLC, n. 8click to open link). Miss Lee may have been Susan Lee Warner’s sister.

The “diamonds” must have been a gift for Clemens’s thirty-sixth birthday (30 November). Several weeks later a lecture reviewer noted the “glittering diamond ring” that he wore while performing (“Mark Twain,” Pittsburgh Gazette, 12 Jan 72, 4). For Olivia’s report on the watches, see 5 Dec 71 to OLC, n. 2click to open link.

George V. R. Merrill (b. 1841) had moved to Elmira as a young boy and was apparently a longtime friend of the Langdon family’s. After distinguished service as a surgeon in the Civil War, he did not resettle in Elmira until 1873; as Olivia’s 29 November letter indicates, he was now living in Geneva (Towner, “Personal References,” 108). It is possible that Clemens misdated his meeting with Merrill and in fact met him on 2 December, the same night he met his old Hannibal friends. In any event, he did not accept Merrill’s invitation to stay at his house.