The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-01-11
MARK TWAIN.
HIS speech at the Boston Dinner in
Honor of Whittier.

Honor Of Whittier.
Mp. CHAIRafAN-This is an occasion
peculiarly meet for the digging up of
pleasant "reminiscences concerning lit
etary folk; therefore | will drop lightly
into history myself Standing here on
the shore of the Atlantic and contem-
plating certain of its biggest literary bill
lows, l am reminded of a thing which
happened to me fifteen years ago, when !
had just succeeded in stirring ups little.
Nevadian literary ocean-puddle myself,
whose spume- flakes were beginning to
blow thinly California wards started
an inspection tramp through the south
ern mines of California. 1 was ealloY
and conceited, and resolved to try the
virtue of my nom de plume. l very soon.
had an opportunity. / knocked at a.
miners lonely log cabin In the foothills
of the Sierrss just at nightfall. 1t was
showing at the time. jaded, melans
cn0fy man OF nftss, bafefooted, ossdess.zas5
me. When he heard my nom de plume,
he looked more detected than before. He
let me in-pretty reluctantly, thought
and after the customary beacon and
beans, black coffee and hot whisky: |
took pipe. This sorrowiul 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: You're the
fourth, I'm going to move" The
fourth what? said l. The fourth
literary man that's been here in twenty
four hours-Tm going to move" You
don't tell me F." said Who were the
others?" "Mr. Longiellow, Mr.. Emer-
son and Mr. Oliver Wendell Holmes
dad fetch the lotl"
You can easily believe 1 was interested.
supplicated-three hot whiskies did the
rest-and finally the melancholy miner
began. Said he:
They came just at dark yesterday
evening and l let them in, of course.
Said they were a rough lot but that's
nothing looks rough that
travels afoot air. Emerson was seedy
little bit of a chap-red-headed. Mr..
Holmes was as fat "a a balloen-he
weighed as much as three hundred, and
had double chins all the way down to
his stomach. Mr. Longfellow was built
like prize fighter. His head was crop
ped and bristly-like as if he had wig
made of shair-brushes. His nose lay
straight down his face, like finger with
the end joint tilted up. They had been
drinking-I could see that. And what
queer talk they used! Mr.. Holmes in
spected this cabin, then he took me by
the button-hole, and says he:
Through the deep caves Of thought
l hear voice that sings
Build thee more stately mansions,
. my souli
Says 1, 81 can't afford it, Mr.. Holmes,
and, moreover, 1 don't want to-" Blam-
ed if like it pretty well, either, coming
from stranger, that way. However, 1
started to get out nv bacon and beans,
,--l1or. Mr.. Eraesson -eouao and looked on
a while, and then he takes me aside by
the button hole and says;
Give me sgates for my meat;
GIVE lne cantbards 10 eatl
From air and ocean bring me foods,
From all zones and attitudes.
Says l, ''11r. Emerson, il you'll excuse
me, this amt no hotel" You see it sort
of riled me. wasn't used to the ways
of ittery swells. But l went on
a-sweating over my work, and next
comes Mr.. Longfellow and button holes
me, and interrupts ne. Says he:
Honor be to MudjiKeewisi
You shall hear how Pan-Puk-Keewis,
But l broke in, AID says I, Begging
your pardon, AIr. Longfellow, if you'll
be 50 kind as to hold your yawp for about
five minutes and let me get this grub
ready, you'll do me proud" Well, sir,
after they'd filed up set out the Jug.
Sir. Holmes looks at it, and then fires
up all of sudden and yells:
Flash out a stream of blood-red wine,
For would drink 10 other days.
By George, 1 was getting kind OF
worked up. 1 don't deny it, was get.
ting kind of worked up. turns to Mr..
Holmes, and says I, "Looky here, my fat
4AASAlu3 IL d AubulIis IulS olduLy, anu ii
the court knows herself, you'll take
whiskystraight, or you'll go dry"
Tbem's the very words 1 said to him.
Now | didn't want to sass much famous
littery people, but you see they kind Of
forced me. There amt nothing onreas.
enable bout me; l don't mind passel Of
guests a-tread'n on my tail three or foul
times, but when it comes to standing on
it, it's different, and if the court know;
herself, you'll take whisky-straight oil
you'll go dry. Well, between drinks
they'd swell around the cabin and strike
attitudes and spout. Says Mr.. Long
fellow.
This is the forest primeval.
Says Mr.. Emerson
Here once tn embattled farmers stood,
and fired the shot heard round the world.