Samuel. L. Clemens Esq (Mark Twain) Hartford. Conn
Sir,

On behalf of my disabled comrades I very respectfully ask that it may please you to send to us, as a gift from yourself, copies of the books you have written, which we will value more highly for being so received, and which also will associate your name with our welfare in a manner as agreeable to us as we believe it will be pleasant to yourself, for we have no doubt that it will please you to use this opportunity of showing your good-will to us. In reply to a similar request, I have received most cordial letters of compliance from Mr Howells, Dr O W Holmes, Geo. W. Curtis & Col Higginson, and I assure you, Sir, that, outside of the pleasure our men will receive from your books, they will be proud of the honour you will do them. I deem it right to say, that though well cared for as far as our physical comfort is concerned, yet we are badly off for what is equally necessary to us, viz, some good books; for in our condition of inaction, which is the consequence of our various disabilities, reading has become almost a necessity, and I am doing my best to supply our need. Our comrades of the other Branches of the National Home are in possession of good libraries, owing to their having been longer established than this Southern Branch, and also to the successful begging of their chaplains, who do the work of librarians in addition to their pastoral duties, while we are without a regular chaplain;—and we get along very well without one—and therefore I have assumed the privilege of begging for my comrades, tho’ I have no more warrant therefor than zeal for their welfare gives me. We disabled men of this Branch are as much isolated from the outer world while we remain here, as we would be on Mount Athos, and for men whose lives before and during the War were very active, our present existence is nearly insupportable, and its wearisome monotony would be unbearable but for reading, and our need in this respect emboldens me to ask that if you have recently weeded your library you would ‸will‸ send us the weeds in addition to your own books. I ask you to pardon the length of this letter, and to reply to it when it is convenient for you to do so. I remain Sir with unfeigned respect

Your obedient servant

Edward Hastings
Librarian

P. S.

We usually receive packages or boxes per Adams’ Express. c.o.d addressed as follows.

Edward Hastings, Librarian

Reading-room, Nat Sold’s Home

Elizabeth City County. Va