The Portland daily press., 1873-07-08
Mark Twain a"d tine shah


Mark Twain went from England for the
New York Herald to Flanders to take notes
upon the arrival of the shah and, as he ex-
presses it, ito help bring shah to England"
Hedescribes the reception and start as fellows:
1t was getting along toward the time for
the shah to arrive from Brussels, so ranged
up along side of my own ship. Presently
re .iment of Belgian troops arrived and form
ed in line along the pier. Then plumber of
people began to spread down carpets for fifly
yards along the pier, by tae railway track.
and otherc rpets were laid from thee 10 the
ships The gangway leading on board my ship
ws> now carpeted and its railiugs were drap-
ed with bright colored signal flags 1t began
to look as if i was expected; so | walked on
board. A sailor Immediately rau ard stop
ped me and rra,le another sailor bring mop
for me to wipe my feet on. lest might soil
the deck, which was wonderfully clean and
nice. Evidently / was not the person ex-
pected after all. Loipted to the group cf
officers and asked the sailor what the naval
law would do to man ii e we're 10 20 and
speak to some of those admirals-for tn. re
was an awful air of etiquette and pupc-
tilio about the premises; but Just
then one of those offic rs come
forward and said that 1t bis in
stinct was correct an admiralty order had
and he also said that be was the fist leuten-
ant. and that was very welcome and he
would take pains to- make ne feel at home,
and furthermore there was champagne and
soda waiting down below; and furthermore
still, all the London correspondents, TO the
number of six or seven, would arrive from
Brussels with the shah, and would go in eur
ship. and II the passage we've not a ! velv cne,
and a jolly and enjoyable one, it would be
very strange thing indeed. l could have
jumped tor Joy If had not been afraid of
breaking some rule of naval etiquette and get
ting hanged for 1t.
Now the train was signalled, and everybody
got ready for the great event. The Belgian
regiment Strengthened itself up, and some two
hundred Founders arrived and took conspic-
uous positions on a little mound. So gor-
geous English officials filed dowI the carpet
from the Vigilant. They stopped long car
with the royal arms npon it, uncovered their
heads and unlocked the dnor. Then the shan
stood up in il and gave US good view. he
was handsome, str bg-featured man, with a
rather European fairness of con plexioD; had
mnsCache, wore spectacles, seemed of
good height, and graceful build and carriage
and looked about forty or shade less He
was very simply dressed-brimless stovepipe
ami close-buttoned dark green military suit,
without orn ainent. No, not wholly without
ornament, for he had a band two IL ches wide
worn over his shoulder and down across his
breast. scarf fashion, which band was one SOL
i'd glory Of fine diamonds. =
All the CORE pnndents came aboard. and
then the Partisan baggage came also, and was
carried across to the ship alongside OF ours.
When she could hold no more we took some
where about hundred trunks and boxes on
board our vessel. Two boxes Tell into the
water, and several sailors jumped in and saved
one, but the other was lest. However. it
probably contained nothing but few hund-
red pounds of diamonds and thidgs,
UNDER WAY FOR ENGLAND.
At last we got under way and steamed out
through long s.ir, the piers on either side
being crowded with founders, but never
cheer. A battery of three guns on the star
board pier doomed out royal salute, and We
swept out 10 sea, the Vigilant In the lead, we
right in her wake, and the baggage ship in
ours. MARK TWAIN.