To William Dean Howells
9 December 1874 • Hartford, Conn.
(TS: NN-B, UCCL 02480)

hartford, dec. 9, 1874.

my dear howells:

i want to add a short paragraph to article no. 1, when the proof comes. merely a line or two, however.

i dont know whether i am going to make this type-writing machine go or nto, ⋮that last word was intendred for n-not⋮ but i guess i shall make some sort of a success of it before i run it very long. i am so thick-fingered that i miss the keys.

you neednt a swer this; i am only practicing to get three ⋮anotherslip-up there-⋮ only practicin?ng to get the hang of the thing. i notice i miss fire & get in a good many unnecessary letters & punctuation marks. i am simply using you for a target to bang at blame my cats but this thing requires genius in order to work it just right.

yours ever,

[Mark]

lines 3–5

line 20

Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

Editorial Signs

Click to add citation to My Citations.

lines 3–5 i want to add . . . a line or two] See 11 Dec 74 to Howells.

Click to add citation to My Citations.

line 20 yours ever] Howells replied (CU-MARK):

UCLC32075

Click to add citation to My Citations.

The “printed letter of yesterday” was the present typewritten letter, which Howells meant he received on 10 December. For the profanity in the second installment of “Old Times” see 14 Dec 74 to Howells.

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

TS made by Clemens, Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations (NN-B). It is photographically reproduced.

Previous publication: L6, 311–12; Paine 1912, 250, excerpt; MTB, 1:535, excerpt; MTL, 1:238; MTHL, 1:51.

Provenance:See Howells Letters in Description of Provenance.

Emendations and textual notes:

Mark • [‘M’ and paraph in pencil]