Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-07-16

Mark Twain and the Book Agent.
HARTFORD fell to me in the apportion-
ment OF territory on new subscription
work, and imagined it would be CAPT
tai thing TO lead off the list with the name
Of d celebrity like Mark Twain. | did
not study his little eccentricities and pc
GUITAR ways of dealing with his fellow
men through the medium OF his loqua-
cious and leisurey ncighbors as we
sometimes do. / called about ten in the
morning, prospectus in hand. 1t was
one Of our rare--yery rare--fine May
days, and the tbor-lccturerjokcr was
taking in the beauties of nature from an
oak fence post in the front yard, where
lac sat watching some laborers digging
post holes. The fact was noticed from a
distance with some misgivings, for / had
! hoped the interview might take place in
his study in congenial booky atmos-
! phere. Some people are susceptible TO
atmospheric influences, and book can.
vassers have 10 study and manipulate
surroundings with skill bordering on
high art. The rare loneliness of the
day, however, was conducive to q pleas
ant, laxative humor and ! approached
with my confidence at high pressure to
the last instant The laborcrs paid
no attention to the new conner, and it ap.
peared the most natural thing for Twain
To deal with an itincrant agent.
The book seemed 10 impress him
instantly He examined the work
carefully and with spirit, com
mented on its remarkable features, and
told few anecdotes about the
author, with whom he is acquainted. lie
next turned TO the cngravings, and dis
cusscd them in detail, occasionally refer
ring To various originals of the subjects
he had seen abroad, and drifted on to a
minute criticism of each plate. For
some Of the plates he would have pre-
| ferred other artists conceptions to those
| given !, being unable to follow in this
| rambling discourse on art had to grant
| him his views and preferences unchal-
! lenged, and felt wonderfully relieved
when he declared AT last that the features
he took exception to did not dctract from
the value of the work. From art he
passed on to the consideration Of the
text, and overwhelmed me with ready
comments on the chief points of history
and biography. The ceremony was get
! ting lengthy, and ! sat on the PROSTATE
post about rs much al ease MS though the
seat was wcllseasoned hemlock, with the
| splinters r.1ally inclined; all manner
| OF disagree lie sensations filtered through
me, but inly the sense of my little
ness 10 and literature compared with
| this ter to whom | assumed to cater.
| J. we'd him in dead earnest, you see,
! n G seemed, and faint monotones were
my response. Finally, TO my relief again,
| he said that, though differing with many
| Of -, II ..
ments, this fact would not detract from
the value of the work in his estimation.
Suddenly shrill shrieking of steam
whistles and ringing of bells over all
the town announced noon. Two hours
had slipped by Not word of practical
business had been spoken, and before
could introduce it, Twain arose and
took me into the house to see some
studies illustrating the points criticised.
Twont take long, he assured me, with
IA kind consideration for my natural
haste, to say nothing of hunger Ga friend
expected me to dinner, but this oppor-
tunity could not wait on friendship nor
dinners). Twain bounced into his study
and produced large folio Of engravings
and texts and proceeded to compare the
former with the samples in my pros
peetus. / tried TO partake of his interest
and pleasure and he endeavored TO con-
vince me that really shared them. In
this manner another mortal two hours
went by. Nervousness and hunger were
on the Increase and the choice between
keeping my engagement to dinner and
| waiting for the coveted subscription as
sumed shape in my mind My eyes fell
to following the movements Of Twain s
| hand when it neared the totally blank
subscription pages with an intensity
akin, distantly, to that of Mephistopheles
while drawing Faust step by step toward
the fatal compact. Unlike Faust, how
ever, Twain didn't sign. He laid the
book on writing-table and turned to an
open window, stroking his chin in that
cool provoking style which clings to him
like a trademark, thinking, probably,
what next TO do to forward the joke. At
/ this juncturG some one summoned him
from the upper floors, and he wheeled
ont of the room, ilinging " BE back in
stantlyn at me. with an apology that
seemed to come from the heart. He re-
turned In one ho,r, and excused the delay
with feeling, and Immediately pitched on
to the book
/ This time it was the terms, finish, etc.
| All his fine works were taken up in order
and compared, with an interest no book
agent could ignore, and thus two hours
more went on the merits of morocco,
calf, edges and titles, title pages, frontis-
pieces, etc. Twain took no note of time,
and verify believe he fortified himself
with lunch during that mysterious
hours absence, with malice aforethought
to sit and to talk me out If 1t took till
midnight.
The question of binding settled, ven
tured to press the issue OF subscribing.
| In the whole six hours of criticism and
comment no word of committal had
| nnsaed his Inns 40 Immensely nleased