OF A GOLDEN AGE

17-year-old Edna St. Vincent Millay, in a letter to her sister:

I’m glad you’re not here, Norma, so that I’d have to show you I’m neither a pickled lime nor a pants-button.

I hope we are all able to say the same, unless some of you are indeed pants-buttons.

During this time in her life Ms. Millay signed her correspondence “Vincent,” which is wonderful.

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