Before I forget it I must tell you that Mrs Clemens has said a bright thing. A drop letter came to me asking me to lecture here for a Baptist Church debt. I began to rage, as usual over the exceedingly cool wording of the request, when Mrs. Clemens said “I think it I know that church; & if so, this preacher is a colored man—he doesn’t know how to write a polished letter—how should he?”

My manner changed so suddenly & so radically that Mrs. C. said: “I will give you a motto, & it will be useful to you if you will adopt it: “Consider every man colored till he is proved white.”

D It is dern good, I think.