On this day in 1864, Charles L. Dodgson, better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, gifted the handwritten manuscript of what would become the “Alice in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass” stories to a young friend. Alice Liddell, the recipient of the early Christmas present and inspiration for Alice in the stories, was the daughter of the community’s church dean. The manuscript was originally titled “Alice’s Adventures Underground.” [160 years ago in 2024]