To Colton Greene
26 April 1873 • Hartford, Conn.
(MS: MoHH, UCCL 11885)

Hartford, Apl. 26.

My Dear General—

Thank you heartily, you splendid old reconstructed profane rebel conundrumist!

The “old man” has been down again & spent two days with me—he came fortified—brought 6 bottles of Scotch whisky—& all he drank while here was two glasses.1

We talked a deal about you & your disheartening habit of cursing & swearing at the table while the ladies & the ministers needed quiet & silence wherein to coax their sustenance to go down—& stay.

Well, the builders have been at work digging cellar a week, now, & so it does really look as if a year from to-day (as per contract) the architect might really be able to say, “Mr. Clemens your shanty is ready.” And then—or sooner if you can—I want you to come!2

Good-bye—

Yrs

S. L. Clemens.

Explanatory Notes

Editorial Signs

Click to add citation to My Citations.

1 See 22 Jan 73 to Mouland, n. 6.

Click to add citation to My Citations.

2 John B. Garvie, the general contracto; and John R. Hills, the masonry contractor, built the house from plans by Edward T. Potter and Alfred H. Thorp. The Clemenses were not able to occupy it until the fall of 1874, and even then it was still unfinished (MTB, 1:520; “Twain Home Given Builders,’ Pictures,” unidentified Hartford newspaper, 18 May 1931, PH in CU-MARK). It is not known whether Greene ever visited the Clemenses.

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

MS, Lyman L. Pierce Collection, Mark Twain Home Foundation, Hannibal, Missouri (MoHH).

Previous publication: L5, 356–357.

Provenance:donated to MoHH in 1995 by Lyman L. Pierce.