Daily globe., 1879-01-26
MARK TWAlN'S MARRIAGE.
HoW He W0s Iaansformed From B0he-
milan Bachelor to a Respectable Bene-


milan Bachelor to a Respectable Bene-
dict.
San Francisco Call.
The turning point in Mr.. Clemens life was
made in 1868, when he went to the Holy Land
with the excursionists on the steamer Quaker
City. He had been in New York but short
time, acting as correspondent for the Alta,
when the opportunity occurred to make this
trip, which proved eventually to be the most
fortunate one for our Bohemian. The propri-
tors of the Alta had been paying SO much
per letter, in which Mr.. Clemens served no
New York in serio-c comic way, when
they we're astonished to receive an urgent re-
quest to advance ST. 200 to enable him to 90
abroad with the "Innocent''-the considera-
ton for this to be correspondence from points
of interest visited. He wrote five or six
letters to the New York Tribune during the
same voyage. After little hesitation,
natural under such circumstances, Mr..
Clemens request was granted, and he
joined the excursionists. 10 the moral and
religious people who made up this party
his presence was undesirable, for he still
carried his mining manners with him, and
spoke the Washoe vernacular. It happened
that among the passengers there was
an old gentleman from Elmira, N. Y,
named Langdon, who was accompanied
by his son, mere boy, and daughter. This
boy conceived a sort of friendship for Mr..
Clemens, and associated with him almost
constantly. He introduced his friend to
his sister, Miss Olivia L. Langdon, and
we may add, to his fate. The old gentle
man fought rather shy of the Washoe Bo-
hemian's society, but the young lady looked
on him kindly, and the light of her eyes
purified his life. It was case of love at
first sight as far as Mr.. Clemens was con-
cerned, and the influence of the feeling was
most beneficial, He began to live cleanly in
a moral sense, abandoned cards, and gamb-
ling and drink, and gave up scof6ng at the
religious opinions of his fellow pas
sengers. He wanted to find grace
with the lady of his love, with her
father. Before The voyage was
over he asked Mr.. Langdon for Olivia, and
the refusal he received chilled but did not
dishearten him. He simply told the some
what indignant parent that he could wait;
but he was determined to marry his daughter.
1t was said of John Foster, the English
writer, and at one time editor of the Lon
don Er0aaaner, that his love letters were the
most remarkable ever penned, because they
"eio WI1Iteu dt LILO lnSClSaLlOn or young
lady whom he wished to make his wife, but
who, knowing his habitual Incidence, and at
the same time his great talent, refused to
listen to his addresses till he had distin-
guished himself. He did SO, and won a
bride that was proud of him. Mr.. Clemens
case is hardly parallel to this, but is similar
in some respects. We think his 'Innocents
Abroad was labor of love in degree. It
made him fame as humorous writer, and
while all the world was talking about him
and his book he came to Elmira, accom-
panied by an editorial friend from Cleveland,
and again renewed his suit for Miss Lang
don's hand. This time the old gentleman
listened with more complacency. The young
lady's brother pleaded for Clemens, and his
Cleveland frie1.d, who knew Mr. Lang
don very we'll, also advocated
his claims, but more powerful
pleaders than either of these was the youn 9
lady's own heart, and for her father, the evi-
dence of capacity Mr.. Clemens had given.
and also of reformation of life. A family
meeting was held, and into it's charmed cir
Gle the expectant bridegroom gladly stepped,
changing Bohemianism for respecta bility,
poverty for wealth, the loneliness of bachel-
orhood for the society of married life. He
intended the change should be complete, for
on some of the envelopes containing we'd
ding cards sent to former friends in Califor-
MIA and Nevada, he added to the address the
significant words, ''good-by."