August 23 Tuesday – “Colonel” Alexander Curran Walker (1816-1883) wrote from McBean, Ga.

Mark Twain Esq / Sir—I am an old man, a farmer, and an invalid of two years standing. My occupation if I may call it so, is reading the papers and Magazines, of which together I subscribe to eighteen—among them the Galaxy, next I think in its standing to Appleton’s Journal—I write to thank you for filling a void in the Galaxy, which I have long felt in the literature of the day. The mind is like the body, it needs relaxation and rest—for it is hard labour to read continuously the stilted sentiment of the time and of the hundreds of books & papers I have read during several years back, excepting Mr Dickens works. I do not remember to have seen humour enough in any one to excite a laugh, until yr appearance in the Galaxy—It is a great feature in the work, with me at least, and poor down trodden devils as we are, it must be genuine humour that can produce a cachinnation in a Southern gentleman—I trust you will continue this department, with profit to yrself and benefit & amusement to yr readers—For God’s sake dont think I have written this to have it published—it is for yself alone—I dont know even yr real name— / Very respectfully yr / obt servt / A C Walker [MTP]. Note: Walker was a native of Georgia but opposed secession. He declined the offer of Alexander H. Stephens’ vacant seat in Congress, after Stephens resigned in 1858