i'll have a mark twain...on the rocks

when i arrived home on a late night flight from new york city yesterday i was greeted by quite a pleasant surprise. a one alix miranda bollman had taken a hint from one of our favorite authors and prepared for me the perfect coming home present. a steaming hot bubble bath and a hand crafted cocktail. i couldn't stop laughing.

so you understand:

a healthful cocktail
(an 1874 letter to olivia clemens)

farmington avenue, hartford

london, jan 2

livy, my darling, i want you to be sure & remember to have, in the bath-room, when i arrive, a bottle of scotch whiskey, a lemon, some crushed sugar, and a bottle of angostura bitters. ever since i have been in london i have taken in a wine-glass what is called a cock-tail (made with those ingredients,) before breakfast, before dinner, & just before going to bed. it was recommended by the surgeon of the "city of chester" & was a most happy thought. to it i attribute the fact that up to this day my digestion has been wonderful-simply perfect. it remains day after day & week after week as regular as a clock. now my dear, if you will give the order now, to have those things put in the bath-room & left there till i come, they will be there when i arrive. will you? i love to write about arriving-it seems as if it were to be tomorrow. and i love to picture myself ringing the bell, at midnight-then the pause of a second or two-then the turning of the bolt & "who is it?"-then ever so many kisses-then you & i in the bath-room, i drinking my cock-tail & undressing, & you standing by-then to bed, and-everything happy & jolly as it should be. i do love & honor you, my darling.

saml.

my tall glass had everything save the angostura bitters, plus a little water, all in perfect proportion, and it was delicious. i'll have to get my hands on a bottle of the missing ingredient just for accuracy's sake and put it somewhere safe. and whenever i come home from a long trip, or whenever i come home and just need a 'cock-tail,' you can bet i'll be having a mark twain. most likely neck deep in bubbles.