It was a mighty good letter, Joe—& that idea of yours of sending newspaper slipsⒶemendation is a rattling good one. But I have not sot down here to answer your letter,—for it is down at my study,—but only to impart some information.

For 2 months I had not shaved without crying. I’d spend ¾ of an hour whetting away on my hand—no use, couldn’t get an edge. Tried a razor strop—same result. So I sat down & put in an hour thinking out the mysteryⒶemendation. Then it seemed plain—to-witⒶemendation: my hand can’t give a razorⒶemendation an edge, it can only smooth & refine an edgeⒶemendation that has already been given. I judgedⒶemendation that a razor fresh from the hone is this shape V—the long point being the continuationⒶemendation of the edge—& afterⒶemendation much use the shape is thusⒶemendation v—attenuatedⒶemendation edge all worn off & gone. By George I knew Ⓐemendation that was the explanation. And I knew that a freshly honed & freshly stroppedⒶemendation razor won’t cut, but after stroppingⒶemendation on the hand as a final operation, it will cut.Ⓐemendation So I sent out for an oil-stone; none to be had, but messenger brought back a little piece of rock the size of a Safety matchⒶemendation box—(it was bought in a shoe-maker’sⒶemendation shop) bad flaw in middle of it, too,—but I put 4 drops of fine Olive oil on it, picked out the razor marked “Thursday” because it was never any account & would be no loss if I spoiledⒶemendation it—gave it a brisk & reckless honing for tenⒶemendation minutes, then tried it on a hair—it wouldn’t cut. Then I trotted it through a vigorousⒶemendation ten minuteⒶemendation course on a razor stropⒶemendation & tried it on a hair—it wouldn’t cut—triedⒶemendation on my face—it made me cry—gave it a five minutes’Ⓐemendation stropping on my hand, & my land, what an edge she had! We thought we knew what sharp razors were when we were tramping in SwitzerlandⒶemendation, but it was a mistake—theyⒶemendation were dull beside this old Thursday razor of mine whichⒶemendation I mean to name ThursdayⒶemendation October ChristianⒶemendation in gratitudeⒶemendation. I took my whetstoneⒶemendation, & in 20 minutes I putⒶemendation two more of my razors in superbⒶemendation condition—but I leave them in the box—I never use any but Thursday O. C.Ⓐemendation & shan’t till its edge is gone—& then I’ll know how to restore it without any delay.

Everybody well but the children & Livy, though Clara S.Ⓐemendation & Rosa are ailing slightly & I have a cold in the head & a sore leg.Ⓐemendation We all go to Paris next Thursday—address, Monroe & Co.Ⓐemendation, Bankers.