Hartford, Dec. 9.
My Dear Howells:
Am very much obliged for the trouble you have taken in the telegraphic matter. It is all right, now. I think the employment of “Young ladies” to do a servant’s work ‸in a waiting-room‸ is a mistake—Young ladies who flaunt that obsolete title are bound to be conspicuous for the lack of the good manners which belong with it.
But what do you send back the proofs for? They were for you, not me. The idea is to send them in batches, so you can read them when you have nothing pressing on hand, & be able finally to write a notice without being obliged to skim through the whole vast mass at one sitting. (I ‸have‸ struck out that little yarn, as you suggested.)
In this morning’s Courant I make an effort to blast the Post Master General’s private secretary from his lucrative position. I think I’ve rather got him.
Yrs Ever
Mark
Had an awful good time at Belmont, but it was intolerably short.
Source text(s):Previous publication:
MTHL, 1:284.
Provenance:See Howells Letters in Description of Provenance.
