Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-12-25

AN OLD MINER Rad.
The Boston Advertiser gives the following re-
port of the remarks of Mr.. Samuel l.. Clemens
at the banquet gwen IN honor Of Mr.. John e..
Whittier in that city on Monday evening:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN This is an occasion peculiarly
meet for the digging up of "reminiscences CON
cetnlnE literary folk; therefore, | will drop
lightly into history myself. Standing here on the
shore OF the Atlaut c and contemplating certain
OF it, biggest literary billows, | am reminded Of
a thing which happened 10 me Is years ago.
when had Just succeeded in stirring up a little
Nevadian literary ocean puddle myself, whose
spume-iakes we've beginning to blow thiny Cali
iorniaward. started an inspection tramp
through the southern mines of California. was
callow and conceited, and | resolved TO trv the
vntue OF my nom de plume. very soon had an
opportunity. | knocked at a miners lonely log
cabin in the foot-h ills OF the Serras lust al night
| tall. II was showing at the time. A faded, mel
ancholy man of 30, bare-footed, opened 10 me.
When he heard my nom de plume he looked
| more detected than before. He let me Iu-pretty
reluctantly, thOught-snd after the customary
bacon and beans, black coffee and hot whiskey,
took pipe. This sOrrowlul man had not said
three words up to this time Now he spoke up
| IN the voice OF one who is secretly suffering
You're the fourth-l'm going to move" The
iouth what tF | said. The fourth literary
man that's been here in "a hours-Im a going to
move. "You don't tell me /" said "Wbo were
the others I" Mr.. Iongfellow, Mr.. Emerson and
Mr.. Oliver Wendell llolmes-dad fetch the otr'
1ou can easily believe was interested. sup
pllcated-lhree hot whiskeys did the rest-and
hnaly the melancholy miner began. Said he:
They came here just at dark Yesterday even
ing, and let Them in, of course. said they
were going to fo Semitic. They were a rough
lot-but thats nothlnG-eyerybody looks rough
that travels atoot. Mr.. Emerson was a seedy lit
tie bit OF a chap-red- headed. Mr. Holmes was
as fat as a balloon-he weighed As much as 300,
and had double chins all the way down TO his
stomach. MIR. Longfellow was built like
prze lighter. His head was cropped and brstly
like as If he had wig of hair-brushes bis
nose lay straight down his face, like finger with
the end joint Tilted up. They had been drinking
Il could see that And what queer talk they
used! Mr. Holmes inspected this cabin, and he
took me by the buttOn-hole, and says he
"'Through the deep caves of thought
hear voice that sings:
Build thee more stately mansions,
my soulr'
"Says l. 4 can't afford it, Mr. Holmes, anc
moreover, | don't want to- Blamed if [ liked ~
pretty we'd, llher, coming from Il stranger, that
way. However, started to get out my bacon and
beans, when Mr.. Emerson came and looked on
while, and then he takes aside By the button
hole and says
"'Give me agates for my meat;
Give me canlharides to eat;
From air and ocean bring me foods
From all zones and latitudes.
"Says /, Mr.. Emerson, if you'n excuse me
this amt no hotel Iou see it sort of ried me;
wasn't used to the way OF lttery swes. But
went on a-swestiug over my work, and next comes
Mr. Iongfelow and button holes me- and inter
rupts me. says he
." Honor be to Mudkeewis!
You shall hear how Pau-Puk- -Keewis-'
"But broke in and SAYS I, Begging your par.
don, MIR. Longiel low, if You'll be. so kind as to
hold your yswp for about five minutes and let me
get the grub ready, you'll do me proud" Well
sir, after they had filled up set up the lug Mr.
Holmes a + hpn tras Ia
den and yels,
81" Z lash ont stream of bood-red wine
For would drink to other days.
"By George, was getting kind OF worked uu
don't deny it, was getting kind of worked up.
turns to Mr.. Holmes, and says |, 'Looky here,
my lat friend IN a-running this shanty, and il
the court knows herself, you'll take whisky
straight OF you'll go dry 1hem's the very words
said to him. Now didn't want to sass such ia.
nous littery people but you they kin of forced
me. There ain nothing unreasonable bout me;
don't mind passe of guests a-treading on my
tail three or tour times, but when it comes TO
standing it, it's different, and if the court knows
herself, you'll take whisky suaight, or you'll 20
dry. Well between drinks, they swell around
the cabin and strike attitudes and spout. Saws
Mr. Longfellow,
"'Thls is the forest primeval
"Says MI Emerson:
Here once the embattled farmers stood.
And fired the shot heard round the world
Says | 80, blackguard the premises as much
as you want tot don't cost a cent Well they
went on drinking, and pretty soon they got out a
greasy old deck and went to playing cut throat
euchre at 10 cents \ corner--On trust began TO
notice some pretty suspicious things Mr.. Emer-
son deal, looked at his hand shook his head aud
says
:" Il am the doubter and the doubt
and calmly punched the hands and went to shuf-
fling for new layout. Says he,
" They reckon Ill who leave me ont;
They know not well the supple was
l keep. pass, and deal aqaia."
"Hangd if he didn't go ahead and do IT, too
CONCLUDED ON FOURTH pAeE.1