1Alice Eliza Kingsbury (1858–1937) was a daughter of Frederick J. Kingsbury (1823–1910), a prominent banker and lawyer in Waterbury, Connecticut. Alice later wrote an undated reminiscence of her visits to the Clemenses’ home, in which she recorded her impressions of Clemens’s character, relationship with Olivia, and writing habits (19th Century Rare Book & Photograph Shop catalog 160:117). No text of it was available to the editors.

2This letter was probably written shortly before the one of 5 May 1876 to Conway, in which Clemens also reported that he was “holding the children’s heads.” It may have been a birthday gift for Alice, who turned eighteen on 4 May.