Mch. 1.
My Dear Howells:1
Now you shall find us the most reasonable people in the world. We had thought of precipitating upon you Goeorge Warner & wife one day; Twichell & his jewel of a wife another day, & Chas. Perkins & wife another. Only those—simply members of our family, they are. But I’ll close the door against them all—which will “fix” all of the lot except Twichell, who will no more hesitate to climb in at the back window than nothing.
And you shall go to bed when you please, get up when you please, talk when you please, read when you please. Mrs. Howells may even go to New York Saturday if she feels that she must, but if some gentle, un-annoying coaxing can beguile her into putting that off a few days, we shall be more than glad, for I do wish she & Mrs. Clemens could have a good square chance to get acquainted with each other. But first & last & all the time, we want you to feel [untrameled] & wholly free from restraint, here.
The date suits—all dates suit.
Yrs Evr
Mark
Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary
Source text(s):Previous publication:
L6, 400–1; MTB, 1:503, excerpt; MTL, 1:216–17; MTHL, 1:68–69.
Provenance:see Howells Letters in Description of Provenance.
Emendations and textual notes:
untrameled • [sic]
