I am getting a trifle leg-weary. Dr. Jackson called & dragged me out of bed at noon, yesterday, & then went off. I went down stairs & was introduced to some scores of people, & pr among them an elderly German gentleman named Raster, who said his wife owed her life to me—hurt in the Chicago fire & lay menaced with death a long time, but the Innocents Abroad kept her mind in a cheerful attitude, & so, with the doctor’s help for the body she pulled through—she had said yesterday morning, “Mark Twain is here, that more interests me than Grant & all the others.” There was something very hearty & simple & winning about this German gentleman, & when he asked me to drive with him & home & give his wife a surprise I said all right, & we jumped into a hack & drove there & had a pipe & a bottle of Rhein wine & a cordial fifteen-minute visit with madam. Then they drove me to Dr. Jackson’s & I had an hour’s visit with Mrs. Jackson. Started to walk hotel down Michigan Avenue, got a few steps on my way & met an erect, soldierly looking young gentleman who offered his hand, said “Mr. Clemens, I believe—I wish to introduce myself—you were pointed out to me yesterday as I was driving down street—my name is Grant.”

“Col. Fred. Grant?”

“Yes. My of house is not ten steps away, & I would like you to come & have a talk & a pipe, & s let me introduce my wife.”

So we turned back & entered the house next to Jackson’s & talked something more than an hour and smoked many pipes & had a sociable good time. His wife is very gentle & intelligent & pretty, & they have a cunning little girl nearly as big as Bay but only 3 years old. They wanted me to come in & spend an evening, after the banquet, with them & Gen. Grant after this grand pow-wow is over, but I said I was going home Friday. Then they asked me to come to Friday afternoon, when they & the General will receive a few friends, & I said I would. Col. Grant said he & Gen. Sherman used the Innocents Abroad as their guide book when they were on their travels.

I stepped in next door & took Dr Jackson to the hotel & we played billiards from 7 till 1.1 0. 30 PM & then went to a beer mill to meet the some twenty Chicago journalists—talked, sang songs & made speeches till 6 o’clock this morning. Nobody got in the least degree “under the influence,” & we had a pleasant time. Read & a while in bed, slept till 11, shaved, went to breakfast at noon, & by mistake got into the servants’ hall. However, I remained there & breakfasted with twenty or thirty male & female servants, though I had a table to myself.

A temporary structure, clothed & canopied with flags, had been erected at the hotel front, & connected with the second story windows of a drawing room. It was for Gen. Grant to stand on & review the procession. Sixteen persons, besides reporters, had tickets for this place, & a seventeenth was issued for me. I was there, looking down on the packed & struggling crowd when Gen. Grant came forward & was saluted by the cheers of the multitude & the waving of ladies’ handkerchiefs—for the windows & roofs of all neighboring buildings were massed full of life. Gen. Grant bowed to the people two or three times, then approached my side of the platform & the mayor pulled me forward & introduced me. It was dreadfully conspicuous. I said Ⓐemendation The General said a word or so—I replied, & then said, “But I’ll step back, General, I don’t want to interrupt your speech.”

“But I’m not going to make any—stay where you are—I’ll get you to make it for me.”

Gen. Sherman came on the platform wearing the uniform of a full General, & you should have heard the cheers. Gen. Logan was going to introduce me, but I didn’t want any more conspicuousness.

When the head of the procession passed it was grand to see Sheridan, in his military cloak & his plumed chapeau, sitting as erect & rigid as a statue on his immense black horse—by far the most martial figure I ever saw. And the crowd roared again.

It was chilly, & Gen. Deems lent me his overcoat until night. He came a few minutes ago—5. 45 P.M., & got it, but brought Gen. Willard, who lent me his for the rest of my stay, & will get another for himself when he goes home to dinner. Myine is much too heavy for this warm weather.

I have a seat on the stage at Haverley’s Theatre, to-night, where the Army of the Tennessee will receive Gen. Grant, & where Gen. Sherman will make a speech. At midnight I am to attend a meeting of the Owl Club.

I love you ever so much, my darling, & am hoping to get a word from you yet.