The Letters Of Mark Twain, Complete


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"Honor no order for a sight or copy of the Memoirs while I am absent,  
even though it be signed by Mr. Clemens himself."  
I gave my permission. There were weighty reasons why I should not only  
give my permission, but hold it a matter of honor to not dissolve the  
order or modify it at any time. So I did all of that--said the order  
should stand undisturbed to the end. If a principal could dissolve his  
promise as innocently as he can dissolve his written order unguarded by  
his promise, I would send you a copy of the Memoirs instantly. I did not  
foresee you, or I would have made an exception.  
...........................  
My idea gained from army men, is that the drunkenness (and sometimes  
pretty reckless spreeing, nights,) ceased before he came East to be Lt.  
General. (Refer especially to Gen. Wm. B. Franklin--[If you could see  
Franklin and talk with him--then he would unbosom,]) It was while Grant  
was still in the West that Mr. Lincoln said he wished he could find out  
what brand of whisky that fellow used, so he could furnish it to some  
of the other generals. Franklin saw Grant tumble from his horse drunk,  
while reviewing troops in New Orleans. The fall gave him a good deal of  
a hurt. He was then on the point of leaving for the Chattanooga  
region. I naturally put "that and that together" when I read Gen. O. O.  
Howards's article in the Christian Union, three or four weeks ago--where  
he mentions that the new General arrived lame from a recent accident.  
(
See that article.) And why not write Howard?  
662  


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