Page:Boys Life of Mark Twain.djvu/296

THE BOYS' LIFE OF MARK TWAIN room and brought his card from its place in the frame of her mirror, and the Quarry Farm visitor stood identified.

A theatrical production of The Prince and the Pauper, dramatized by Mrs. A. S. Richardson, was one of the events of this period. It was a charming performance, even if not a great financial success, and little Elsie Leslie, who played the double part of the Prince and Tom Canty, became a great favorite in the Clemens home. She was also a favorite of the actor and playwright, William Gillette, and once when Clemens and Gillette were together they decided to give the little girl a surprise—a pair of slippers, in fact, embroidered by themselves. In his presentation letter to her, Mark Twain wrote:

He apologized for his delay:

You see, it was my first attempt at art, and I couldn’t rightly get the hang of it, along at first. And then I was so busy I couldn’t get a chance to work at home, and they wouldn’t let me embroider on the cars; they said it made the other passengers afraid. . . . Take the slippers and wear them next your heart, Elsie dear, for every 258