This is probably not the story you're looking for, but in a related vein, a story called "The Facts Containing My Late Senatorial Secretaryship" tells of Twain's attempts to answer delicate correspondence. Even if it's not what you're looking for, it's very amusing and reading it is far more enjoyable than working. The text is available on the WWW at: http://cadswes.colorado.edu/twain/senator.html Alan Eliasen