21–22 February 1869 • (2nd of 3) • Elmira, N. Y. (Paraphrase: Geneseo N.Y. Genesee Valley Herald,
24 Feb 69, UCCL 05164)
In answer to a telegram, inquiring if he should be advertised immediately, he says: “Advertise liberally and without fear.”1explanatory note
Since it seems naive of the Young Men’s Association to ask whether to advertise “immediately” a lecture date that Clemens had just confirmed for seven days hence, the possibility remains that he may have sent only one telegram, on Sunday (21 February) or Monday (22 February), in which he both confirmed the date and answered their question about advertising. On the other hand, these young sponsors certainly were naive, and Clemens himself was being both apologetic and, by his own admission, somewhat muddled. He wrote to Olivia on 2 March that he had been “so bewitched” by her from 19 to 22 February that he “could think of nothing connectedly & collectedly but you.”
Paraphrase, “Mark Twain’s Lecture,” Geneseo (N.Y.) Genesee Valley Herald, 24 Feb 69, 3, PH of newsprint in the History Research Office, County of Livingston, Geneseo, N.Y.
L3 , 110–111; see Copy-text; LaVigne, 6, paraphrase.
The original telegram is not known to survive.
More information on provenance may be found in Description of Provenanceclick to open link.