Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1878-02-07
MARK TWAIN AT HOME.

The mansion, with it's quaint old
English architecture and its exquisite
tiles and mosaics. the rich ferneries
and half tropical hot-houses, are no
mere extraneous accuInulations such
as any man of wealth might create,
but gradual and organic outgrowth
OF the owners mind, which gives you
a delightful peep into the inner re-
cesses of his character. The main
building, as we'll as the stables, is
built of dark red brick with dark
brown trimmings, interspersed with
inlaid devices OF scarlet painted brick
and black Greek patterns of mosaic.
The whole has a most novel and
pleasing effect-nothing gaudy and
glaring, but sill arranged with a rare
artistic taste and strict regard for
harmony in color and outline. Dur
ing the summer the outer window
sills are draped with hanging ferns
and nastertiums, and the woodwork
of the broad East Indian portico is
half concealed beneath the foliage of
clanbering vines. But as winter
reigns supreme during good many
months of the year in New England,
Mark Twain has taken care to pro-
vide himself with summer vistas even
while nature does not afford them.
His library, the place where the own
er is most frequently to be found,
opens into q miniature greenhouse,
full of tall, graceful ferns and bloom
ing tropical plants. In the midst of
these uxuriant exotics q fountain is
constantly playing, shedding the
spray ever the smooth white rocks at
its base, and under the glass ceiling
hangs large cage, in which pair
of California quails of brilliant plum
age spend brief season of happy
captivity. Mark Twain can not en-
dure to see any bird or beast, which
nature intended for freedom, impris-
oned within the narrow bars of a cage,
and he bought these quails last win-
ter from 4 boy, meaning to set the m
at liberty in a neighboring forest as
soon as spring should arrive.
Throughout his house Mark Twain
hes indulged literally his taste for
wood tints and quaint carvings. |
Each of the doors in the library is
surmounted with cared cherubs and |
other biblical and mythical figures, |
spoils from some European pilgrim |
age. In his study on the second
floor he revels in sphinXes and grif- I!
fins, whose reclining bodies and capa- |
cious wings fashion themselves into |
luxurious lounges, easy chairs aud |
sofas. The mantlepiece, with all its !!
superstructure, had once /
adorned an old English or Scotch !
country seat, and Mark Twain was
fortunate to pick it up during one of
his many sojourns in England. Amid !
these surroundings Mark Twain
spends the time between breakfast |
and dinner, composing, with much |
serious reflection, the sketches, nov
els and dramas which have shaken the |
American public with laughter. AZ
ter dinner the chances are that you
will tild him TRANQUILITY smoking a ci-
gar before the fire in the library, and
chatting leisureiy with some friend, |
who addresses him plainly as Mark"
as his nom de plume somehow per-
sists in clinging to him both in his
private and public relations. When
Mark Twain is not writing or making
speeches he smokes, and if he ieels
any further need OF recreation he
takes it in playing billiards. In the
third story of his house there is an
elegantly appointed billiard room,
' here he often spends on evening with
three or four masculine friends.
Though he keeps handsome horses,
superb stable, and may be
seen daily driving through the city
with fine pair Of bays, he is not
much of connoisseur Of horseHesh
or a sportsman.