Hartford, Oct. 8/83
Mesrs. Miller & Bingham
Dr Sirs
No. I am far from objecting to the compliment of the proposed bestowal of my name upon a new style of collar; for I think it is time the name should be connected with something [useful]—it has been confined to the aesthetic & ornamental long enough[.]
Neither do I object to collars—as collars—though I never wear one—at least not ‸of the‸ detachable ones sort.
Very Tru[l]y Yours
S L. Clemens
(Mark Twain)
I will explain that the shirt I wear is not a patented article, but I invented it myself, for the public benefit of lazy men. It & its collar open in the back, & ◊◊◊ the collar & the cuffs are not detachable. No buttons anywhere about it except a couple at the back of the neck. This saves much profanity.
Textual Commentary
Source text(s):Previous publication:
MicroPUL, reel 2.
Provenance:
The MS was owned by the Elder Manufacturing Company in 1947.
Emendations and textual notes:
useful • [an asterisk was written after this word, apparently by one of the addressees; its significance has not been discovered]
