The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1877-12-27
Mark Twain's Experience While Travelling
On His Nom de Plume.

l
At the banquet in honor of Whltti
er's SEVENTEEN birthday, given by the
publishers of the Atlantic Monthly last
Monday evening in Boston, Mark Twain
made the following characteristic speech:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: This is an occasion
peculiarly meet for the digging up OF
pleasant "reminiscences concerning lite
rary folk /: therefore | will drop lightly
into history myself. Standing here on
the shore OF the Atlantic, and contem-
plating certain of its biggest literary
pillows, am reminded Of thing which
happened to me fifteen years ago, when
| had just succeeded in stirring up lit
tie Nevadian literary ocean puddle my
self, whose spume flakes were beginning
to flow thinly Californiaward. started
on an inspection tramp through the
Southern mines of California. | was
callow and conceited, and | resolved 10
try the virtue of my nom de plume.
very soon had an opportunity. |
knocked at miners lonely log cabin in
the foothills of the Sierras just at night
fall. 1t was showing at the time. A
jaded, melancholy man of fifty, bare
footed, opened to me. When he heard
my nom de plume, he looked more de-
jected than before. He let me in
pretty reluctantly, | thought-and after
the customary bacon and beans, black
coffee and hot whisky, took pipe
This sorrowful man had not said three
words up to this time. Now he spoke
up, and said in the voice of one who is
secretly suffering: "Iou're the fourth
I'm a going TO move" "The fourth
what - said "rhe fourth literary
man that's been here in twenty-four
hours--I'm going to move" "You don't
tell me - said "who are the others ?"
"Mr. Longfellow, Mr.. Emerson, and Mr..
Oliver Wendell Holmes-dad fetch the
LOTT
Hou can easily believe | was interest
ed. suppiicated-three hot WHISTLES
did the rest-and finally the melancholy
miner began. Said he:
"They came here just at dark yester-
day evening, and | let thom in, of course.
Said they were going to Yosemite.
They were n rough lot-but that's moth.
ing-cvery body looks rough that travels
afoot Mr.. Emerson was scedy little
bit of chap-rcd headed. Mr. Holmes
was a. fat rs balloon he weighed as
much as 800, and had double chins al!
the way down to his stomach. Mr..
LongfeIlow WIS built like prize fighter.
His head was cropped and brIstIy, like
as If he had wig made OF hair brushes.
His nose lay straight down his face like
a finger with the end joint tilted up.
They had been drinking-I could see
that. And'what queer talk they used
Mr.. Holmes inspected this cabin, then he |
took mo by the bottom hole, and says he
Through the deep caves Of thought.
hear voice that sirs,.
Build thee more stately mansions.
% my soul 20
Says /, al can't afford il, Mr.. Holmes, /
and, moreover, don't want to-" Blamed /
if liked il pretty well, either, coming
from stranger that way However, | 1
started TO get out my bacon and beans.
when Mr.. Emerson came and looked on .
awhile, and then he tskos me ASIDE by
the buttonhole and says:
''Give me agsies for my meat
Give me cantharIdes 10 eat
Prom air and ocean bring me foods
Says /, "Mr. Emerson. II you'll ex-
cuse me, this amt no hotel" You see,
L sort of riled mel wasn't used TO the
ways of literary swelIs. But went on
! swearing over my work, and next
zones Mr.. Longiellow and buttonholes (
ne, and interrupts me. Says he:
R0zor Se 10 snlliikeewisl
roa shall hear how PAp-Puk Eeewis''-
But | broke in, and says /, Begging
-our pardon, Mr.. Longfellow, if you'll !
'e so kind as TO hold your yavp for
bout five minutes, and let me get this
rub ready, yoa'll do me proud. Well Y
II, after they'd filed up, set out the {
~. Mr.. Holmes looks az it, and then B
res up ali of sudden, snd yells
''FlAsh cut a ssre2n Of blood ru.I vine =
fcs woald drink 70 other days q" q
By George, was getting kind Of il
led. ! don't deny it, 1 was getting v
ind OF worked up. ! turns to Mr.. q
Iolmes, aud says |, "Looky here, nv b
L friend, I'm running this shanty, il
nd If the co7rt knows herself, you'll 2
Ike Shisky straight, or you'll 20 dry" Il
hens iLs very words [ sail to him. m