A Double-Barreled Detective Story by Mark Twain

Author:Mark Twain
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-06-20T01:02:37+00:00

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Dear Mr. Clemens: "Far in the empty sky a "solitary esophagus slept upon motionless wing."

It is not often I get a chance to read much periodical literature, but I have just gone through at this belated period, with much gratification and edification, your "Double-barreled Detective Story."

But what in hell is an esophagus? I keep one myself, but it never sleeps in the air or anywhere else. My profession is to deal with words, and esophagus interested me the moment I lighted upon it. But as a companion of my youth used to say, "I'll be eternally, co-eternally cussed" if l can make it out. Is it a joke, or I an ignoramus?

Between you and me, I was almost ashamed of having fooled that man, but for pride's sake I was not going to say so. I wrote and told him it was a joke— and that is what I am now saying to my Springfield inquirer. And I told him to carefully read the whole paragraph, and he would find not a vestige of sense in any detail of it. This also I commend to my Springfield inquirer.

I have confessed. I am sorry— partially. I will not do so any more— for the present. Don't ask me any more questions; let the esophagus have a rest— on his same old motionless wing.

MARK TWAIN

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