To Any U.S. Representative or Other Friend of Mine
26 February 1881 • Hartford, Conn.
(New Orleans Times Democrat, 2 May 1909, and sales catalog: American Art Association, 16 April 1925, lot 27, UCCL 01822)
[slc/mt][farmington avenue, hartford.
Feb. 26, 1881.]
To any [U. S. Representative] or other friend of mine to whom these [Presents]
shall come—Greeting:
[The bearer of this, Mr. Karl Gerhardt, is a personal [&] particular friend of mine, [&] I know he will do no discredit to your acquaintanceship. May I, therefore, beg the privilege of introducing him to you?
With great respect, I am truly yours,]
Textual Commentary
Source text(s):| P1 | New Orleans Times Democrat, 2 May 1909, section 3, 8; ‘farmington . . . Twain.)’ (1.1-9). |
| P2 | American Art Association catalog, 16 April 1925, lot 27; ‘To any . . . Greeting:’ (1.3-4); ‘S.L. . . . Twain.)’ (1.8-9). The letter text (except for the reported dateline) is in italic type, which has been silently altered to roman type in the readings reported below. |
Previous publication:
MicroPUL, reel 2.
Provenance:
The MS was offered for sale in 1925 from the collection of William F. Gable.
Emendations, adopted readings, and textual notes:
All variants between the source texts are reported here. The readings identified by the siglum ‘MTP’ are editorial emendations of the source readings made because none is deemed correct by itself.
slc/mt (MTP) • One page oblong [reported, not quoted] (P2); [not in] (P1)
farmington . . . 1881. (MTP) • Farmington Avenue, Hartford, Feb. 26, 1881. (P1); Hartford, Feb. 26, 1881. [reported, not quoted] (P2)
U. S. Representative (P2) • United States representative (P1)
Presents (P2) • presents (P1)
The . . . yours, (P1) • [not in] (P2)
& (MTP) • and (P1)
& (MTP) • and (P1)
Clemens, (Mark Twain.) (MTP) • CLEMENS, (Mark Twain.) (P1); Clemens (“Mark Twain”). (P2)
