Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-02-10
MARX TWAIN's ENTERPRISE.
He Takes Editorial Charge Of the Hartford
Courant,

eust Otilol Wlso hhoWh CO Nhoth
Twain, has become the responsible
editor of the Cowdnt, and iu-
tends to make 1t q semi-political,
semi-humorous journal.
Icalled yesterday, at Mr.. Glenn
EMS eccentrically built residence on
Pennington avenue, and not find
ing him there, walked over to the
COnrdnt Office. Mr.. Clemens sat
in the chair formerly occupied by
Gen. Joe Hawley. Since |
met him last, little more
than year ago, the lines of wor-
ried, wearied looks have fixed
themselves on his lean face, and his
hair and moustache begin to show
little grey. When l entered his
office he was smoking brierwood
pipe. He laid down his pen, tipped
back his chair and extended his
hand to welcome me.
"Hullo,n he said. "Thls Is real
friendly. Take pipe"
81 hear" l remarked, "that you
are at newspaper work again. How
does it seem?"
at seems good enough to be
true" lie replied, with his custom
airy drawl.
"Come now," said /. It's per-
fectly useless to bluff, for i've
caught you here in the act"
"Oh, 1 drop in here once in a
WHILE" he said, ''to look over the
papers for notices of myself and my
articles, which 1 always keep in a
scrap-book-a Mark Twain self
cumming scrap-book," he added,
with O faint smile. "Th!s is as
warm place to loaf in as any l
expect to find for number of years
to Gomez
"And you drop in to amuse
yourself with little diversions like
this?" 1 persisted, pointing to the
manuscript in his well-known
handwriting of half-fnished
editorial article, headed The
Grant. Summer Controversy" 'You
are a good kind of loafer to have
around newspaper office"
"See here, young fellow" said
Twain, blushing q little, "this thing
hasn't been given away yet, and
it's unkind in you to push me into
prevarication. 1 hate to lie."
"But the news Is on nthe streets
and talked of by everybody in
town. 1t will be in print next, and
you might us we'll give it to me
straight"
SIS that so?n said Clemens. ~
wonder how it got out. Hawley
said-Well, perhaps we had better
start fair and square. 90 ahead.
1 love to be interviewed"
"What experience have you had
In journalism, Mr.. Clemens?"
"Well, in the first place, have
the necessary qualifications to be a
great editor. / can tell the truth
unblushingly, and l write beau
tiful hand. Experience? Lots of
it! / worked my way up from a
reporter of dog fights and donation
parties on the Austin ReUealte, and
in less than fifteen years found my
self editor-in- chief of the Buffalo
Erpress.n
"How long were you editor-in
chief of the Buffalo paper?"
"About seven weeks, counting
two weeks that L drew my salary
before really took hold. I made
O glorious success of the Express,
and if it hadn't been for the big
headed men who owned the paper,
1 should have made it as well
known as Dana's Sum-"
"What was the trouble?"
"Capital and labor didn't coin
eide in their views of journalism.
The biggest stockholder in the con-
Germ was president of a savings
bank. 1 wrote an article advising
depositors to withdraw, as the bank
was inevitably going to burst. 1t
was purely legitimate sensation,
you see, and l was surprised and
grieved when the stakeholder came
in to demonstrate. He put on airs,
and told him so in the next days
paper. Then they requested me to
resign"
ibid the bank burst?n
sit hasn't yet, but have been
waiting for number Of years to
see it go up. I think it will event
ually."
"But won't your habit Of telling
the truth be apt to lead you into
similar difficulty with the owners
of the Courantsn
~ don't mind telling you," said
Twain, looking around to see that
no one was within hearing dis
lance. 81 don't mind telling you,
my dear fellow, that in this case l
am my own capitalist. SabeW
"Then l may say upon authority
that you are to own as well as edit
the Courant?n
"You may say so, my dear fell
low"
Sand what will be the political
attitude of the paper under your
management"
"Liberal, sir. Broad We've, ex-
pansive sentiments, exalted aims,
but very severe on subscri who
don't pay up promptly"
"You will support-W
"Excuse me, my dear fellow"
said Glenn ems, turning to his desk
and taking up his pen. 81 am
usually very patient with bores,
but I've got good deal to do this
morning. In my new position
shall endeavor to support"
"What, Mr.. Clemens?'
"My interesting family, sir. 1
wish you good morning"
From other sources L learn that
the Couram will continue to be an
organ of Mr.. Hayes's Administers.
ton. Mr.. Clemens's hand has al
ready shown itself in the editorial
columns of his paper.-N. T. Sun.
The last ill-natured story told