27 February 1884 • Hartford, Conn. (MS, in pencil: ViU, UCCL 02923)
Thanks for the financial matter—I make note of it.
Aside from Howells & Gilder, I am not aware of anybody who knows who wrote the Bread-Winners. It is usually attributed to Hay—& sometimes to Clarence King ◊ & one or two others. However, both Hay & King are very rich & very idle; whereas the author of the book in a recent communication says he is a working man, that his associates are mechanics, & that he makes his daily bread with the sweat of his hands. Now go on guessing—I haven’t any idea who wrote the book.
Geo. W. Cable has been sick-abed in our house for three weeks (with the mumps.); & has just gone away. He’s a bright good fellow,—but——
Why, man, he made 280 times more fuss of over his little pains than you did over your big ones. Lord, if I dared to laugh as I want to laugh——but Mrs. Clemens would kill me.
It is very sweet to see Koto’s face again. Mrs. C & the cubs will be delighted when I tote it down stairs. I’ve sent the other one to Miss Perkins, & mailed that letter to New York.
Howells has just arrived, so I must go down & receive him. Love to you both.
letter docketed by House: Clemens S. L. | March Feb. 27/84
References
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
- Machlis, Paul, ed. Union Catalog of Clemens Letters. Edited by Paul Machlis. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press. [In some cases, UCCL catalog numbers cited in this volume supersede those assigned in 1986 and reflect corrections or additions to the catalog since publication. An updated version of the catalog can be consulted via the Letters Search page at MTPO.] 1986
- Microfilm Edition of Mark Twain’s Previously Unpublished Letters. Prepared by Anh Quynh Bui, Victor Fischer, Michael B. Frank, Robert H. Hirst, Lin Salamo, and Harriet Elinor Smith. 8 vols. Berkeley: The Bancroft Library. 2001
MS, in pencil, ViU.
MicroPUL, reel 2.