We have a winner! Twain was in a back room of his home in NYC having his portrait painted by James Montgomery Flagg (now owned by the Lotos Club of NYC) and was watching Livy knitting in a front room at the other end of a long hallway when he heard her curse ("Sugar"), prompting his remark to Flagg. Flagg told the story in his own autobiography many years later. Kevin @ Mac Donnell Rare Books 9307 Glenlake Drive Austin TX 78730 512-345-4139 Member: ABAA, ILAB ************************* You may browse our books at www.macdonnellrarebooks.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Salwen" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 7:59 PM Subject: Re: Twain contest > Peter Salwen > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -= > > Sugar=0A =0APeter Salwen =0A > =0A- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -= > - - - - - - - =0ASalwen Business Communications=0A114 W 86 St, New York, > N= > Y 10024 =0A917-620-5371 | www.salwen.com=0A =0AIn the depth of winter, > I= > discovered within myself an invincible summer. =E2=80=94 =0AAlbert Camus= > =0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A________________________________=0AFrom: Kevin Mac > Donnel= > l <[log in to unmask]>=0ATo: [log in to unmask]: Thu, March > = > 10, 2011 12:40:37 PM=0ASubject: Twain contest=0A=0A'Tis time for another > Tw= > ain contest...=0A=0AThe winner of this contest will get their choice of > one= > of the following, fi=3D=0Ane in dust jacket--=0A=0ASeelye MARK TWAIN AT > TH= > E MOVIES. First edition=0APowers DANGEROUS WATERS. First > edition=0AHoffman.= > INVENTING MARK TWAIN First English edition=0AHoffman INVENTING MARK TWAIN > = > First American edition=0ARandom House edition of ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY > = > FINN (the first text from =3D=0Athe complete original ms)=0A=0AHere > goes...= > =0A=0ATwain was well-known for his salty language, and he considered > creati= > ve and =3D=0Aeffective cursing a true art. Not only the words, but the > infl= > ection was imp=3D=0Aortant, and he once pointed this out to his wife Livy > w= > hen she tried to sham=3D=0Ae him by repeating his curse words to him > withou= > t the proper inflection. But=3D=0Aone day when Twain was talking with a > vis= > itor to their home, he overheard L=3D=0Aivy curse while she was knitting > in= > another room. She must have had the infl=3D=0Aection right that time > becau= > se Twain remarked to his visitor that she would =3D=0Ahave to answer for > he= > r profanity on judgment day just as surely as he would.=3D=0AWhat was > Livy'= > s curse-word that provoked this remark?=0A=0AIf you find it too horrible > to= > even think of repeating her blasphemy in fron=3D=0At of the entire Forum > y= > ou may send your answer privately.=0A=0AKevin=0A=3D40=0AMac Donnell Rare > Bo= > oks=0A9307 Glenlake Drive=0AAustin TX 78730=0A512-345-4139=0AMember: ABAA, > = > ILAB=0A*************************=0AYou may browse our books at > =0Awww.macdo= > nnellrarebooks.com=0A=0A=0A=0A-----=0ANo virus found in this > message.=0AChe= > cked by AVG - www.avg.com=0AVersion: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1497/3496 > = > - Release Date: 03/10/11=0A > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1497/3496 - Release Date: 03/10/11 > ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1497/3496 - Release Date: 03/10/11