1 The Parker House, opposite the city hall at School and Tremont streets in Boston, opened in 1855 and became “a favorite down-town hotel, . . . the leading place down town where people congregate for news and gossip.” It offered “a large private dining-room for banquets, and numerous smaller dining-rooms” and was “renowned for the excellence of its cuisine.” Among its other attractions was “an oyster-counter and bar; and a large billiard-room” (Bacon, advertisement on page G, 353).

2 Clemens had originally proposed speaking twice in Boston, giving “Roughing It” and possibly his Sandwich Islands lecture (1 Feb 74 to Redpath). Redpath booked him for only a single performance, of “Roughing It,” in Horticultural Hall on the evening of Thursday, 5 March. This was the first time Clemens had given that lecture in Boston (“Lectures This Evening,” Boston Evening Transcript, 5 Mar 74, 1).