As soon as you departed, Livy arranged a writing table near the conservatory, so that I could have the writing conveniences I had been wailing about so much. She put a box, called a writing desk, on this table—a box which opens in the middle & discloses two closed lids; inside of those lids are paper, pens, stamps, ink, & stamped envelops. To get either of those lids open pushes patience to the verge of profanity, & then you find that the article you want is under the other lid. She put a delicate glass vase on top of that box & arranged pots of flowers round about it. Lastly she leaned a large picture up against the front of the table. Then she stood off & beamed upon her work & observed, with the Almighty, that it was “good.” So she went aloft to her nap with a satisfied heart & a soul at piece. peace. When she returned, two hours later, I had accomplished a letter, & the evidences of it were all around. The large picture has gone to the shop to be re-framed, the writing desk has returned to the devil from whom it must have come, but the flower pots & the glass vase are beyond the help of man, with thanks be to God, as little Johnny Howells says. Since that day I have gone back to precarious letter-writing, with a pencil, upon encumbered surfaces & under harassment & persecution, as before. But convenience me no more women’s conveniences, for I will none of them.

I ain’t going to write that lady, because it isn’t pleasant to say no to a stranger, & you know that that is what I should say, of course. Holland is differently situated. He is full of twaddle all the time, & so it is simply a relief to him to uncork.2explanatory note

We enormously enjoyed your visit—what there was of it, but it was far too short. Mollie 3explanatory note remains in my head as the darlingest, daintiest, sweetest vision of this long, long time. She must come again, just as soon as possible, for time & sophistication will begin their hateful work by & by. I don’t know when any visit has been so heartily enjoyed by us as yours & Mollie’s.

I’m to lecture 3 times in N. Y. for a benevolent object next week, & then I won’t do another charitable or kindly thing this year.4explanatory note Shall hope to go to Nast with Charlie.5explanatory note Love to the lot of ye.