Hartford, Dec. 12/82.
My Dear Judge Russell—
Woodford ◊◊ wrote me, & I answered; result, this arrangement:
5th Regular toast:
Woman—God bless her!
Response by Mark Twain.
(You see, I never use any ‸name‸ but my nom de guerre on public occasions.)
Woodford says that if President a Arthur is not on hand, I’ll be No. 5—otherswise I am to be No. 6. It gives me the belly-ache to wait long with a speech in my bowels.
I threw aside all my other subjects—they were too solemn. As this is to be my last speech, with the exception of one next August which is to fulfill a promise 3 years old, I thought I would like to wind up with an obituary with the right amount of nonsense in it.
Truly Yours
S L Clemens
Judge Horace Russell | Superior Court Chambers | New York [return address:] return to s. l. clemens, hartford, conn., if not delivered within 10 days. [postmarked:] hartford conn. dec 12 6pm
Source text(s):Previous publication:
MicroPUL, reel 2.
Provenance:
The MS was at one time owned by Alexander William Armour of the Nassau Club of Princeton, New Jersey. It was offered for sale by Parke-Bernet Galleries, 15–16 January 1941, no. 248, lot 88. It was deposited at ViU by Clifton Waller Barrett on 15 May 1962.
