To L. P. Hubbard
16 November 1881 • Hartford, Conn.
(New York Tribune, 23 December 1881, UCCL 02089)

[Hartford,] Nov. 16, 1881.

[Dear Sir:] Having already accepted an invitation to a dinner in celebration of the 261st anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims, I am forced to decline the present one from sheer lack of storage room. And I do it with the sincerest regret, [&] also with some degree of rancor against the Pilgrims because they did not split up [&] land on different days; for if they knew anything at all, they must have known that they were getting up an anniversary, [&] that to cramp it rigidly down to a single date would be an inconvenience to people [by-&-by].

With many thanks for the compliment of the committee’s [invitation,]

I am truly yours,

[Mark Twain.]

L. P. [Hubbard, esq., secretary.]

Textual Commentary

Editorial Signs

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

New York Tribune, 23 December 1881, 5.

Emendations and textual notes:

Hartford, • Hartford,

Dear Sir: • Dear Sir:

& • and

& • and

& • and

by-&-by • by-and-by

invitation, • invitation.

Mark Twain. • Mark Twain.

Hubbard, esq., secretary. • Hubbard, esq., secretary.