Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-05-24
MARK TWAIN'S CONSCIENCE.
The Facts Concerning the Recent Car.
nivaI Of Crime In Connecticut.

WAS feeling blithe, almost jocund put
match TO my cigar, and just then the morn
jng's mail was handed in. The first super
scription glanced at was In handwriting
that sent q thrill OF pleasure through and
through me. II was aunt Mary's; and she
Yves the person l loved and honorcd most In
all the world, outside OF nv own household
She had been my boyhood's idol; maturity,
which Is fatal to 80 many epchantments, had
not been able TO dislodge her from her ped
estai, no, IL had only justified her right to be
there, and placed her dethronement perma-
nenuy among the impossibilities. To show
how strong her influence over me was, / will
observe that long after everybody else's do
stop-smOking" had ceased 10 affect me in the
slightest degree, aunt Mary could still stir
my torpid conscience into faint signs Of life
when she touched upon the matter. But all
things have their limit, In this world. A hap
ny day came at last, when even aunt Mary's
words could no longer move me. | was not
merely glad TO see that day arrive; / was
more than glad was grateful; for when It's
sun had set, the one alloy that was able
TO mar my enjoyment OF my aunt's
society was gone. The remainder OF
her stay with MS that winter WAS In every
way delight. or course she pleaded
with me just as earnestly AS ever, after that
blessed day, to quit my pernicious habit, but
" no purpose whatever; the moment she
opened the subject at once became calmly
peacefully, contentedly ndiherent--absolute.
~, adamantinely indifferent Consequently
the closing weeks Of that memorable visit
melted away AS pleasantly IA dream, they
were so freighted, for me- with tranquil sat
isfaction. could not have cpjoyed my pet
vice more II my gentle tormentor had been a
smoker herself, and AN advocate of the prac
tice. Well, the sight Of her handwriting re-
minded me that was getting very hungry to
see her again. easily guessed what should
End 10 her letter. | opened it. Good Just
ms ! expected; she was coming! Coming
tina very day, too, and by the morning train
! might expect her any moment.
said to myself, ~ am thoroughly happy
and content now. II my mos pitiless enemy
could appear before me at this moment |
would freely right any wrong | many have
done him"
straightway the door opened, and shriv-
eled, shabby dwarf entered He was not
more than two feet high He seemed to be
about forty years old. Every feature and
every inch OF him was lritle out of shape
and 80. while one could not put his finger
upon any particular part ard say, "This Ia a
conspicuous doformityh the spectator per
csvod that this little person was deformity
IA ~hole-a vague, general, evenly blend
ed, nicely adjusted delormity. There was a
fox-like cunning In the face and the sharp little
eyes. and also a,ertness and malice. And vet
this vile bit Of human rubbish seemed To bear
sort OF remote and ill-dcdned resemblance
TO mel IL Was duly perccptlble in the mean
form, the countcnanee, and even the Clothes
gestures, manner aud attitudes OF the crca-
ture. lie was a far-fetched, dim suggestion
OF sbnriosque spon rne, earicaturc of me
Ia Htlle, One thing about him struck me
forcibly and most unplcasantly he was GOV
Fred all over with fuzzy greenish mold such
20 one sometimes sees upon mildewed bread.
tBie sight was nluseating.
at al ~ ,l,. l..
t6uDg amsclf into "A dolls chair in very free
and easy way, without waiting to be asked,
He tossed his hat into the waste basket. He
picked up my old chalk pipe from the door,
.rSHss Vie stem wipe ur two on his Knee,
WNed the bowl from the tobaecob box at his
side, aud said TO me IN a tone OF pert com.
mand:
''Gimme a matehl'
! FLUSHED To the roots Of my hair; partly
with indignation, but mainly because IL
somehow seemed To me that this whole per
Torrance Was very like an eXaggcration of
conduct which | myself had sometimes been
guilty OF In my Intercourse with familiar
fr,ouds--but never, never with strangers,
observed to myself, | wanted to kick the
pygny into the fire, but some Incompetent
STOLE sense OF being legally aud legitimatey
under his authority forced me 10 Cpey his or
der He applied the match To his pipe, took
n contcmplatiyc Whit or two, aud remarked,
in an iiritatingiy familiar way:
seems TO me It's mighty odd weather Tor
this time Of year
flushed again, and In anger and humilia
ton us before; for the language was hardly
an cNAggcratiOn Of some that | have uttered
an my day, and moreover Was delivered in "A
tone Of voice and with au eXaSperatiug drawl
that had the seeming NJ deliberate uayesty
OF nay style Now there Is nothing am quite
so sensitive about as hooking Imitation OF
my drawing iuhrmity OF speech spoke up
sharply ana said;
Look here, you miserable ash-catl YOU
will have to give little more attention To
your manners, or viii throw yeu out of the
wludpH'
the manikin smiled smile OF malicious
content aud security pulled whIl OF smoke
Contemptuuusly toward me, and said, with
stiil more elaborate q AMI:
"Come-So gently, nov, don't put on too
many airs with your hctlers,'
ruis cool snuo rasped me all over, but 1t
seemed to subjugatc me, too, Tor a moment.
weasel eyes, and then said, ia = peculiarly
snesr.ng way:
You turned tramp away from your door
this morning.
! said, crustily;
Perhaps did, perhaps l didn't, How do
Wen, know, 1t isn't any matter hos l
know"
VERY we'll suppose dsi turn tramp
away from the door-what of itF'
On, nothing: nothing In Particular. Only
you lied - him.
IL ddni! That is, l.
Yes, but YOU did, you lied 10 him
felt guilty pang--in truth had felt Il
forty times before that tramp had Travelled 4
block from my door--but still resolved 70
make show OF feeling slanderoi, SO said
This is u basclrss lmperunenoe- | said io
the tramp