The Portland daily press., 1872-01-23
THE PRESS.

MARK TWAIN" AS A REPoRTER.-The
life of reporter was described by Mark"
in one of his lectures at Chicago, in the fol-
lowing TERMS
| reported on that morning newspaper
three wears, and it was pretty hard work.
But enjoyed its attraction. Reporting is
the best school in the world to get a knowl-
edge of human beings, human nature, and
human ways: A nice, gcntlemanly reporter
make no reterences-is well treated by every
body. just think Of the wide range of his
mountaineering, his experience of life and
society! No other occupation brings a man in
to such familiar sociable relations with all
grades and classes of people. The last thing
at night midnight-heg goes browsing around
after items among police and jail-birds, in the
lookup, questioning the prisoners, making
pleasant and lasting friendship with some of
the worst people in the world. Laughter.
And the very next evening he gets himself
up regardless of expense, puts on all the good
clothes his friends have got, laughter goes
and takes dinner with the governor or the
commander-in-chief of the district, the Unit
ed States Senator, and some more of the up
per crust of society. He is on good terms
with them all, and is present at every public
gathering, and has easy access to every varle-
ty of people. Why, l breakfasted almost ev-
cry morning with the governor, dined with
the principal clergymen, and slept in the sta
tion-house. Laughter.
A reporter has to lie little, or they would
discharge him. That is why left it. Laugh
ter. | am different from Washington: /
have higher and grander standard of prin-
ciple. Washington could not lie; can lie,
but won't. Prolonged laughter
ANECDOTES OF GRANT AND SHERMAN
graduate of the institution has just pub
lished some Recollections of West Point, and
among them is this anecdote of Gen. Grant:
1 met Grant as second lieutenant on the
plain Of Perote, where he invited me to stop
and dine with him at a little spring. had
nothing, and he had only one egg, which he
divided and gave me the big end!
And here is little story about Gen. Sher-
man and the pretty widow:
In 1S45, Lieutenant Sherman was stationed
at Augusta arsenal, Georgia. He occupied a
great deal of his leisure time in travelling by
stage between Augusta, Atlanta, Milledge-
vile, Macon and Savannah, with the ostensi-
sible object of examining the public lands of
Georgia, which, it may be remembered, were
placed in market that year. As he has a
wonderful memory, and good Typographical
eye, it is highly probable that the knowledge
of the country obtained at that time was of
oiiO SiCaoCob NdiuC w It'll ditcTWdTu Ill MS Ia
nous march to the sea. A charming young
lady of Savannah described Lieut.. Sherman
to me at that time much as follows: 'sHe is
SO ugly that he is positively handsome; he
can do anything paint pictures, write poe
try, or talk politics-and every word comes
out like a brickbat, hard enough to knock YOU
down." In 1868, 1 met the lady who, in
1S46, had been so much impressed with the
handsome-ugly Lieut.. Sherman. She refer
red to him as ''that frightful, destructive, re-
vengeful Attilla of the North, who could not
forgive the southrons for chasing him out Of
Louisiana" When I asked her if they had
just reasons for chasing him out, she pouted,
(she was still pretty on pout, besides being
widow and said: s'Of course we had" So,
if Gen. Sherman never knew why he left the
South as fugitive, TO return as conquerer,
he must ask the pretty widow.