Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-05-12
TRAIN ON TWAIN.
How the III stRtOr says the HumOr.
1sL has stolen his Thunder.

New York World
Mr.. George Francis Train had
the support Of an orchestra at his
intellectual treat" in the Partisan
Varieties last evening, which, pre-
vious to his arrival, discoursed many
popular airs, but thereafter quietly
yielded to the superior noise Of his
oratory.
In the first place last evening the
orator began with a presumably
original poem descriptive of the
glories of the United States of
America. OF course this was wildly
applauded. "Why do you applaud?'
demanded the poet, turning un-
graciously upon the audience he
had entrapped. "Why do you APP
plaud, fools? Don't you know that
that is but the miserable clap-trap
of the Fourth Of July orator? The
vain bunkum of the Union League
club statesmen? The miserable
bombast of Tammany Hall thieves?
Why do you applaud, creatures?
Don't you know that the facts are
not these? Don't you know that
the American flag has been dragged
in the dust of nearly every country
on the globe? Don't you know
that the country has been disgraced
by its officials? Forty-two millions
of people are being ground up be-
tween the two mill-stones, the Union
League and Tammany Hall"
Here Mr.. Train paused, and the
audience breathed again. "How dc
you like it SO far as I've got!" said
he.
"Bullyp "Give MS some more,
were the answering shouts.
"Yes; I'll give you enough before
get through, but Just let me show
YOU what the press, the mighty
press of New York, who got mil
hons of dollars from Tweed, have
to say about the man who brough
that arch thief to justice" Thu
speaking, Mr.. Train drew from hi
vest pocket a long roll Of brown
paper, on which we're posted th,
cuttings of last Mondays newspa
pers. They were not compliment
airy to Mr.. Train in the main, ant
in proportion as they were not MI
Train took his revenge upon tn
editors. But for a typographica
error which made his name Twail
in one of the papers, Mr.. Train wa
the most enragrd and indignant
Indeed this demanded persona
explanation which he had loni
contemplated making. e" Twent
years ago" he said, II wrote on
or two books that had a deserved
worldwide reputation, and | ais
i wrote occasionally for the newspa
pers. Ny writings were, beside
being profound and erudite, Away
sparkling and brilliant. At time
= | indeed descended to humor-th
n highest, best kind Of humor, mar
you: as, for instance, my celebrate
anecdote of the EDglishman VIII
le inquired of an American whethC
the law of hen tail existed in I'll
United States, and to whom til
: American replied, No, but v
have the universal rule of cocI
tails etc., etc-little gems that
!. threw gaily from the end Of II
., pen. Well, now, imagine my a
r. r. tonishment one day upon learnir
re that some young picayune humo
re ist in Califoroia was calling himse
H' Mark Twain. You see he had sa
w to himself very shrewdly that Ira
Ts was a name known the world owe
ssl isa and a name that would always q
on On tract crowds, and so in effect he sto
"a. Z, it, and that same Mark Twain h
i@6 al5 been for fifteen years living up'
\. V my audiences, ] have borne IL
~ 4, silently and like a Christian iii
Il II mense sensation in the audience,
j" which Mr.. Train took part wi
his left eyelia) for all theseyea
: but now, when they begin to n
- me up with him as he has endel
ored to have himself mixed dup wi
me, it is a little too much, and
won't stand it. Besides, ca
4. discover chat this Twain ever wrc
ouvthino fnnnv avcpnt his exon